Wind
by 3laxx
Summary: After the fight against Hawkmoth - which ended completely not as planned - Marinette begins the way of healing. It's still a long path but her friends and family are on her side the entire way. Slowly, she finds back to her old self and despite a few backlashes, manages to get back onto her feet. Though, the evil does not sleep and so, Master Fu chooses anew...
1. Chapter 1

Unbelievable, huh?  
I've left Breeze up and finished for almost 9 freaking months before uploading the Sequel.  
But hey, better late than never, am I right?  
So, and here we are, 14 months after I uploaded the first chapter of Breeze, and a new story begins. As you guys may have already read from the tags, this story will be a little more slice of life like, and while it may not be as dark or depressed as Breeze, it'll definitely be angsty enough to live up to the raise of the name, trust me ;)  
But the angst will come later! For now, it'll start slower than Breeze :D  
I hope to continue the upload schedule but since I'm now in school again I'll try to stick with a 4-day-upload schedule, eventually going up to 5 days if I need to.  
Also, again, Wind is - just like Breeze - based on season 1 of the show. I've got a few aspects of season 2 in it but because season 2 is only airing now (very veeeeeery slowly and irregularly) I can't entirely include season 2.  
It's based on my ideas and headcanons for the show after watching season 1, even before the Christmas special.  
With that being said, let's get right into the story and I hope you'll like it!  
Enjoy~

3laxx

* * *

 _"_ _Your friends just stay with you because they pity you…"_ , the voice whispered as Marinette shivered.

 _"_ _Why are you doing this to yourself?"_ , another one joined in. She wrapped her arms tighter around herself and squinted her eyes, shaking her head. She was back there. Back where she never ever wanted to be again.

 _"_ _You knew exactly that it's true."_ , the voices hissed and she groaned.

 _"_ _So why didn't you just falter?"_ , they asked, sharp and unforgiving, making her feel like she did something wrong, as if it was her fault to still be alive, _"Why didn't you just listen and end it right there?"_

Sobs took over her body and she breathed through gritted teeth, shaking her head as not a word would leave her lips, not a sound would come from her mouth. She could merely listen and weep silently, powerless against the voices, the demands that held her captive with mere words.

She felt as if she was caught in a cage, a cage of nothing, a forced prison that held her but she didn't see bars.

The voices haunted her and poked her, making her squirm and breathe faster as she tried to move. All her body did was huddling even more into itself, though. Her feet wouldn't work, her mind was slowly stopping to resist. Her arms held herself like steel, her fingers digging into her shirt as if there was something to hold on.

 _"_ _Why are you trying to live with that, Marinette?"_ , they whispered and yelled, brushing over her skin like feathers but at the same time bruising her, _"Why are you trying to live with the hatred they gave you? Why didn't you just give up?"_

She sobbed another time, breathlessly even though she hadn't run, her lower arms hurting like hellfire was ignited on them. Her lips formed words but her voice didn't join, her desperate begging painfully blocking her throat.

She was back, she was back there when all she knew were hateful glances and swallowed words of injustice, spoken out behind her back, but still for her to hear. She was back and vividly remembered Alya's back when she had turned, Adrien's frown when he saw her.

She saw all the hidden and open glares, she saw all the pain and hurt in their eyes, the anger and the disappointment and the suffering grief they felt. The helplessness and fear and the suffocating accusation they threw at her, unjustified and at the same time she felt like she deserved it.

The responsibility of having condemned Paris to be destroyed by Hawkmoth, of having left alone Chat Noir and of having terrified all her friends to the point of them showing their back to her.

She was back there and there was no return.

Once again, she watched herself sinking, watched herself losing her footing and falling, as she reached out for a knife that wasn't there. Adrien had made sure not to leave anything sharp except sewing needles in her room, ever since he had seen the new bracelets on her wrists and discovered that she hadn't been over it.

She couldn't help it. Sometimes, it backlashed at her, sometimes she couldn't resist and in a lonely night, left alone to her own devices when Tikki slept, it all came back and tortured her.

He hadn't been mad. He had merely kissed her wrists, the small cuts, and made sure that she got a private hour with her therapist, on his money. Of course, she had protested and scolded him, but she wouldn't lie, therapy and especially his concern helped her feel more stable every day.

But this time she'd been back there, she didn't even know why, and had longed for the day to end to let it all break in above her.

She hadn't been on good terms with Alya about some homework, she hadn't seen Adrien all day because he had been at a photoshoot, and her parents hadn't had time for her since they drowned in preparations for some marriage they should cater at.

It certainly hadn't been a good day.

And when she had walked through the streets to do some last-minute errands for her parents she had walked by the little alley again. Normally, Marinette had made a big way around that dark memory, but today she hadn't paid any mind to it. Suddenly, all the gazes had been hostile, all the faces blank and hateful. She had felt herself shivering despite Tikki's reassuring hug on her thigh, despite her mind telling her she was assuming, imagining things.

Tikki was on her desk right now, eating a cookie and not noticing her wielder's breakdown on the bed above her. She kept it quiet, didn't want her Kwami to know. Tikki tended to take it really badly when she noticed how much Marinette had become broken during her absence.

A knock startled her and she looked up, spotting Chat's luminescent eyes against the darkening sky of the evening. He looked worried as he saw in which state she was in right now.

Quickly, he opened the window and slipped inside, hugging her before his transformation even fell. She smelled his wonderful, mossy scent, the subtle hint of camembert, and her tears fell against his shirt. She heard him saying something but didn't process it, didn't have the chance to separate his words, take them with their meaning, understand what he really said.

A constant waterfall of whispered sounds fell from his lips as he pressed her against his chest, his cheek resting on her hair and her forehead on his neck. She slowly managed to breathe through, hearing another voice joining as she wept against him, now finally letting it out.

Her conscious resurfaced and her shock faded slowly, leaving room for her to finally listen and partially understand what Adrien whispered in her ear.

"… Here for you… Safe… Promise… Not gonna let you get hurt… Ever again… Promise…", her shaky breath got caught in her throat and she nuzzled closer before getting startled by a sudden outburst in Adrien as he whipped around.

"Why didn't you look after her?! I'm trusting you with this, Tikki!", he suddenly shot at her Kwami, his chest tensing as he unconsciously held her tighter, his voice agitated and angry.

"I-… I'm sorry, Adrien, I didn't notice. She was so quie-"

"You know exactly what she went through! Imagine what could've happened if I hadn't been close and decided to visit her! She's still in danger, you're obligated to look after her!"

Marinette shook her head, not wanting him to be angry at Tikki but she couldn't move, couldn't speak.

"I know! I'm sorry, Adrien, but it was just five minutes, I swear I was about to-"

"I don't care, Tikki! She needs you, she needs you to look after her and care for her when she has a breakdown! Damnit, Tikki!"

She could feel the scared sobs vibrate through his chest and hear the tears in his voice. He was scared. For her. Not of her. He was scared of losing her again.

This gave her the last push to lift a hand to his chest, lightly brushing over his shirt to get him to listen to her.

"Adrien…"

His attention immediately was on her. His eyes soft and worrying instead of angry.

"Yes? Mari, are you alright? I'm so sorry I wasn't here earlier, I had a bad feeling and when I saw you-…", he babbled endlessly before Marinette lightly shut his mouth with a nudge of her nose against his chin.

"P-Please-… Don't be mad at Tikki… She did her best today, she deserved a break. And I didn't give her a clue. It was my fault.", he shook his head but she pressed a light kiss to his lips, still feeling exhausted and scared but it got better and better every second he was here, "Adrien, please."

His eyes were hard and stubborn but after asking once more of him to calm down he slowly breathed out, his shoulders sagging.

"Fine… I'm sorry, Tikki, I was just so worried… I'm sorry I snapped at you."

"It's understandable, Adrien.", Tikki reassuringly replied, holding a paw to Plagg's muzzle to keep him from verbally killing his wielder, "We're all worried. I should've been more considerate and I should've kept an eye on her more closely."

Marinette shot Tikki a grateful gaze for calming Adrien down and snuggled against his chest once more, her breaths coming slowly and flatly since she was exhausted after this breakdown. Her boyfriend seemed to notice and sat up on his knees to lay her back down on the pillows on her bed, making himself comfortable next to her. She let him hug her tightly around her waist, their Kwamis joining them on top of their hair. She felt Tikki snuggling close, the poor small creature still shivering on her whole body as she rested atop her head. Marinette brought a hand up to her, brushing over her soft head before allowing herself to hug Adrien as well, bumping her nose against his sleepily.

"… You okay?", she asked, her thumb brushing slight circles on his back. To that he laughed humorlessly and leant his forehead against hers, blinking slowly.

"I should ask you the same thing, even more so than you should ask me. So, are you okay?"

A tired giggle escaped her throat as she felt the tears dry on her cheeks, shrugging slightly.

"You're here.", was all she commented, a shiver going through her body, "I'll be fine."

"Are you sure?", his deep voice drummed against her and she nodded softly, her other hand coming up to his jaw to caress him.

"You're here.", she repeated, "You'll look out for me. I'll be okay."

* * *

Later that night, they ran over the rooftops for a patrol. Adrien had let her rest for a few hours before transforming again, wanting to let her sleep but she had woken up. After a discussion that was more playful than anything else he had let her transform as well, joining him on patrol.

Ladybug giggled as Chat hugged her with one arm from behind.

"Hello, my lady."

"Hi kitty. Did everything go alright?"

She turned in his arm and placed a little kiss on his relatively cold and rough lips, from the chilly night air.

"Yeah, nothing special. Except…"

"What?"

He quietly laughed and nibbled at her lower lip, teasing her a little.

"Well, I got something for you."

She rolled her eyes but smiled.

"Chat, this is patrol, not shopping-gifts-for-your-girlfriend, you know.", she scolded but he had already gotten his hand between them, holding a little box. He flipped it open and a beautiful necklace came to light, a little golden Ladybug on a petite chained necklace.

She gasped and he broke his hug around her to pull the necklace out of the box and close it behind her neck.

"How do you like it?", he asked, a big grin on his face.

"I-… I love it! But seriously, Chat, it's patrol and you know very well that I can't-…"

"I know, but I love you too much and when I saw this, I just couldn't resist!", he pouted.

"Ugh, Chat! I'm not your girlfriend just to be gifted."

He laughed, kissing the tip of her nose.

"Say that again, _paw_ -lease. I like the sound of the word out of your mouth."

"Girlfriend?", she lifted her eyebrows.

He sighed and made a dreamy expression.

"Ah, my lady, you're _flattering_ me."

"Sometimes I could just high-five you with a chair or something… And I feel like I'm the boyfriend right now.", she murmured, snapping against his bell to try and get him back to the living again. He pouted but smiled as soon as she kissed him again.

"C'mon, it's getting colder. We should both get home."

"Your home or my home?", he grinned as she rolled her eyes yet again, shaking her head.

"As much as I may want, we're writing a chemistry test tomorrow and I can't afford being late or tired again."

"Aw, princess, you don't wanna kiss me a little longer? You sure?"

"I don't just wanna kiss you, but I would only agree on that if the test tomorrow was about the human anatomy. So… No, kitty, you'll have to go home alone today."

He grinned as she threw her yo-yo, placed one last kiss on his cheek and hoisted herself away. She was right, though. He hadn't learnt enough for the test yet and if he wanted to at least get a few formulas in his head and be rested tomorrow, he would have to get going.

"Until tomorrow.", he whispered lovingly, extending his baton and lifting himself away.

He just wasn't sure if he could concentrate when she would be sitting behind him in class, her scent winding itself in his nose, clearing his mind from everything.

* * *

"Plagg?", Adrien asked as he got back into his room, flopping down on his bed after the transformation faded, his Kwami following him right after to curl up on a pillow.

"Yea, kid?", his Kwami replied, opening one eye as he blinked over to his chosen.

"We haven't had as many Akuma attacks as back then. Do you think Hawkmoth is giving up?"

The Kwami sighed heavily, remembering the confrontation with their villain back then, a few months ago.

"… No, I don't…", he finally replied, his words slowing down and his voice getting quieter. Adrien waited for a moment, probably curious if Plagg would add something but the cat remained silent. The boy slowly nodded, folding his arms behind his head as he stared up to the ceiling. A thousand questions swirled through his head, like what Hawkmoth wanted to do when he got the Miraculous or why he attacked less or such things but, in the end, only one question made it out of his mouth.

"Plagg, does Hawkmoth plan something?"

His Kwami huffed and sighed, finally closing his eye again to get some rest.

"Of course he does.", as if the question was obvious.

"… What will the ultimate power grant him, then?"

To this, his Kwami remained silent.

* * *

If you wanna check out my other works, you can scroll through my profile here on Ao3, my profile which I keep updated along with this one - also 3laxx - as well as my tumblr profile under the same name.  
I also have a Twitter account under the name 3laxx/ ToniWorz and an Instagram account with the name _3laxx_ on which I mostly upload art and a few pics I just make for fun, as well as my projects from work as a glass artist.


	2. Chapter 2

Okay yes I admit it.  
I was impatient to wait. Yes, I know, it's a little rushed but I mean, Breeze started right in the first chapter so...  
Let me have this one xD  
I promise, the slow burn comes later!  
But for now, lemme explain a bit about my headcanons! The next few chapters will be pretty theory heavy, I hope you guys won't be bored, there'll be a lot foreshadowing ;)  
Enjoy~

* * *

Turned out, Nino was really bad at chemistry.

Well, he had known before, his grades told a story, after all. But as he sat in front of the test, scratching his short, brown hair in confusion as he stared at things he was certain he had never seen before, he realized he was _really_ bad at chemistry.

His gaze flew through the front space of the classroom, since he didn't want Miss Mendeleiev catching him turning around, thinking he was cheating. Alya's eager scribbling could be heard above him and he shot his best friend a side glance, silently rolling his eyes as he saw him writing the correct answers just as eagerly as his girlfriend. With a short glance back, covering that up with a pretended yawn, he exchanged a quick gaze with Marinette, who was just looking up as he stretched.

She wasn't as fast at writing as their other two friends but Nino knew it wasn't because she hadn't learned. Oh, she had.

His eyes were downcast to his own paper as he stopped stretching again, crossing his arms and propping them up on the table in front of him. She just wasn't to good with a silent classroom. Whenever it got quiet, during exercises in class, or exams like right now, she got anxious.

The memories of last spring were still too fresh, too painful.

Only slowly, she had dared sitting next to Alya again, still needing her best friend's comfort whenever she was beginning to feel self-conscious again. And since Alya couldn't do that when they were supposed to work, especially during exams, Marinette was easily thrown back to back when the class had been like this all day long, back when she had been a murderer.

Apparently, though, his gaze had been enough to reassure her, because he heard her beginning to scribble again and smiled to himself.

It didn't help him, not really. But knowing he gave Marinette a chance to do god at this test was enough for him to accept a failure. He just asked himself if his parents saw it the same way.

* * *

"Dude, this test was hard.", Nino groaned, leaning on Adrien's shoulder. Adrien laughed and shook his head.

"I didn't think it was that bad. If you hadn't been up all night remixing songs and actually learnt, then maybe it would've turned out better?"

"Dude, I _swear_ , I tried to punch these formulas into my head but they just wouldn't stick around!"

Alya and Marinette came up behind them, Marinette wriggling her arm around Adrien's waist beneath his arm. The brunette reached out and got something out of Nino's hair, something sticky.

"Yeah, I believe that."

The three of them started laughing, leaving Nino with a scowl on his face.

"No, I didn't try to actually write down the formulas and glue them to my head, thank you."

"Oh yeah?", Marinette reached to his cap and pulled out a tiny bit of paper, something written on it, "Totally not, right?"

"I-… May have fallen asleep on my desk, yes-…"

"Dude, you really need to start taking school a bit more serious. We'll be graduating this year.", Adrien frowned, inconspicuously looking down to see the necklace snuggly laying in the soft curve of Marinette's neck.

Nino shrugged it off, grinning.

"Bro, I got this. Don't you worry your precious little head."

"My precious little _boyfriend's_ head.", Marinette smirked, reminding him of last night when they had been on patrol.

"I love you, my lady.", he murmured, kissing her on the lips. For a moment, nothing else existed in their world, just themselves and their kiss.

"… Mari?"

Alya's voice finally got through to them, her best friend rolling her eyes.

"Lovebirds, could you just not eat each other's faces while we're staying right beside you?", Nino asked annoyed, clearly trying to keep his gaze away from Alya who had her hands in her hips, "I mean, we're not doing it either. Get your act together."

"I already regret shipping you two. You're together for like, what, two months now?", she scolded but grinned, "Anyways, where will we be going for lunch?"

* * *

Later that day Nino came home from school and sighed as he threw his bag in one corner of the room, only to slump on his bed.

"Soon…", he groaned, "Soon I'll have the fall break and then I'll be able to chill."

He already heard his imaginary Alya shrieking, then grabbing his head and shoving it into his homework over the holidays.

"Oh man, why is life so damn serious? Why's it gotta be so damn hard?", he loudly complained.

He buried his face in his covers and enjoyed the warmth from underneath. Not that it was cold outside, fall was just nearing and everybody could feel that. Soon, it would be colder and he'd have to wear a jacket and a scarf… Nino didn't quite like the cold. He knew Alya did.

A little smile snuck onto his lips and he gave in a sigh.

 _Alya._

 _His beautiful girlfriend._

Sometimes he just felt too lucky when she pulled him in for a kiss or, searching for his embrace, wrapped his arms around her. He could've never imagined her liking a boy who stayed up playing DJ all night, not really caring for his body so it had resulted in a little stomach and not exactly taking school seriously.

He sighed once again and lifted his head, ready to take on the homework.

That's when he saw the little box laying on his desk.

 _Huh, did mom forget something here?_

Nino got up and walked up to his desk, taking the little box into his hands, testing its weight.

 _Not that heavy. What is it with this?_

He turned to maybe see his mom standing in the door, but it was closed as he had left it. Shrugging, he faced the box again and carefully opened it, maybe to find a necklace of his mother. Instead, he found a bracelet, a jade stone with a leather bracelet.

"Hm, not that fancy…", he murmured. Suddenly, a brightly green ball of light emerged from the box and he instantly dropped it, stumbling back against his door.

A little green guy appeared out of the ball of light, wearing a tiny Turtle shell on his back. Nino's eyes widened.

"Holy shiiiiii-… Are you a Kwami?!"

The green guy opened his eyes, yellow with green orbs in it, lifting his gaze to the teenage boy who was inching closer to him again.

"Hello. I am Wayzz and yes, I am a Kwami. I'm the Kwami of the Turtle Miraculous wielder, a guardian of the two key Miraculous."

"The Ladybug and the Black Cat?", Nino asked.

"Yes, exactly."

"I didn't know there were more than the three I already know of you guys. The Ladybug, the Black Cat and the Butterfly. Are there even more?"

"Indeed, yes. But for now, I think it would be better if I told you about your role and your powers and then we'll see Master Fu. He'll be able tell you more about why you were chosen, what your duty is as the Turtle Miraculous wielder and about the other guardians. Is that fine with you?"

Nino laughed, sitting down in his chair and laying a little pillow from his bed on his desk.

"So first of all, you're welcome to sit here, then you won't have to float all the time. And second, you don't need to be all formal and fancy speaking with me, I'm just a teenager."

Wayzz nodded and smiled, settling down at the pillow.

"So then, young Nino, what do you want to know first?"

"Well, how do you know my name?"

"Master Fu chose you.", the little green Kwami explained, "He kept an eye on you and it's been decided by fate. You were chosen because he saw that you both needed and fulfilled the Turtle Miraculous as a new wielder."

"A new one? Who was the one before me? I mean, I know you guys are a few thousand years old, but-…"

"Actually, it is Master Fu himself. He gave his Miraculous to a new, younger wielder. That would be you."

Nino nodded, thoughtful.

"So then-… What's my transformation phrase?"

"Easy there, young one. Let me explain your role first. You're a guardian, that means, you'll have to protect the Ladybug and the Black Cat at all costs. They are the most important Miraculous, the yin and the yang. And you're one of five guardians, so that you know."

He paled and his hand shot to his chest, remembering the wound Hawkmoth had done to him. Of course, he hadn't remembered anything directly after the fight and thanks to Ladybug's cleansing light, he hadn't even gotten a scar. But it had come back to him through his dreams, nightmares.

"Protect them at all costs?", he shakily asked.

"Because you're the Turtle Miraculous wielder you have to do so even more. You have to protect all Miraculous, including the guardians."

Nino clenched his teeth, his hand gingerly moving to rub his chest.

"That's a lot of responsibility…"

"It is. But you proved to be worthy."

"And-… I'm a Turtle, right?"

"The wielder of the Turtle Miraculous, yes.", the Kwami chuckled.

"That means, I don't have to be slow, do I?", he tried to lighten up the mood and Wayzz laughed, much to his relief.

"No, you don't. You'll be pretty fast, actually."

The boy laughed as well, leaning back.

"I'm relieved. So, when I'm transformed, what powers do I have?"

Wayzz grinned, already looking forward to introduce him to his future abilities.

"You'll be a Turtle, so you'll have a Turtle shell that you can use as a shield."

"Like Captain America?", Wayzz tilted his head and Nino waved it off, shrugging, "I'm sorry, carry on."

"Like I was saying, you'll have a shield to protect yourself. Your secret superpower will be 'Shellter', a shield to protect others too."

"Sweet. So, I'll be a walking shield, then.", Nino grinned. Wayzz smiled, nodding. He already liked this boy.

"That's right. Your transformation phrase will be 'Shields up' and your de-transformation phrase will be-…"

"'Shields down', I suppose?", he smirked.

"Exactly. Do you want to see how you look in your suit?"

Nino's eyes went wide and he laughed, putting on the bracelet already.

"You bet!"

The tiny green Kwami grinned, as the boy fumbled with the leather bracelet. Master Fu chose really good again, he was sure Nino would be able to handle his life and his superhero identity. And he was sure, the boy would be a great guardian, he already saw big potential in him.

 _"_ _Wayzz, shields up!"_

The transformation went down his body like a bucket of warm water being poured over his head. He felt a mask appearing on his face and his normal clothes vanishing, to be replaced with a skin tight suit.

He opened his eyes again, looking down his body. A suit of different green tones covered him. Light green was underneath while he wore dark green boots and gloves. Additionally, there was some kind of armor in a few hexagonal shapes on his chest, resting on him like a second, slightly heavy skin and soothing the slight pinching feeling over his heart. A dark green hood with red and yellow highlights on his temples draped over his dark brown hair and on his back was a big, dark green shield with the design of a Turtle shell.

He was quick to position himself in front of his mirror, already trying out different stances he would maybe try when in battle alongside Chat Noir and Ladybug, no wait, his friends.

He hesitated, scrunching together his eyebrows.

Adrien and Marinette had kept it a secret for four years before they had revealed to each other. And it was because it had been necessary, Marinette had just revealed her secret identity to Chat because she needed to own his trust. Because she needed to get her Miraculous back from Hawkmoth.

Adrien had revealed… Well, okay, yeah, Adrien had revealed because he loved her and because he had wanted to protect her, prevent another misunderstanding like this from ever happening again. It had brought them together and it had saved Marinette.

Alya and he, on the other hand, had to find it out on their own, so they weren't even meant to know.

Would he be bound to have to keep it a secret too? From his friends?

He shook his head, wondering. But that could wait until later.

 _"_ _Wayzz, shields down."_

"I thought you wanted to be transformed a little longer, young Nino?"

The boy just smiled.

"Later. I guess, Alya's rubbed off on me because for now I just want a few answers. Can you take me to Master Fu, Wayzz?"

"You didn't even think of a name yet, Master. Are you sure?"

Nino grinned, nodding.

"I am sure, but actually, I already thought of a name when I was in the suit. What about 'Carapace'?"

Wayzz bowed his head, a slight smile playing his mouth.

"That is a good and strong name, young Nino. Well then, let's meet Master Fu!"

He just laughed, throwing over a jacket so that Wayzz could hide.


	3. Chapter 3

By the way, the lore I came up with for the Air Series universe.  
Again, yes, I can't take season 2 into consideration. The canon is different now and while I'll still watch it, I'll still go along with the story I made up.  
I know that season 2 gave us different backstories already and I know my fanfiction doesn't quite catch up. But if I used the season 2 input it would get too unpredictable, I could write different things, plus the helping Miraculous would still remain temporary (which I don't want) and I wouldn't get to the outcome I want to have in later parts of this series.  
So, just, please bear with me? ':D  
I'm watching the season 2 lore, I'm having my thoughts on it and I'm always open to conversations about it, I got my tumblr name beneath the new chapters and my inbox as well as Private Messaging is open. Just like on , Instagram and Twitter. There's also still the Discord server that I opened up last year. If you wanna know a bit more about my theories or what I think about season 2 just hmu!  
But yeah, I won't take season 2 into the Air Series anymore. It's become too different and I got an outline for the Air Series in my head. It's simply a different universe now, not to mention it plays 3 years after the canon series.  
Anyway, just to have that out of the way again, let's jump right into it!  
Enjoy~

* * *

Over half an hour later he finally arrived at Master Fu's. Wayzz smiled and nodded as Nino reached for the door and looked down to search for assurance from his new friend.

"He already expects you."

Nino smiled and opened the door, feeling weird not to knock, but Wayzz flew out of his jacket as he closed the door behind him, already heading towards the person inside. An old man waited for him sitting cross-legged on a pillow on the floor, smiling gently.

"Come inside, young man.", he said in a warm voice, gesturing towards the other side of the table to the pillow that laid there.

"Hello, Master Fu."

Nino just nodded as Wayzz settled down on the table in front of the old man and started chatting with him, sitting down on the pillow. Instead of listening to the two of them he looked around, taking in the room.

It was really nice, Nino noticed. Traditionally for Chinese culture there were no chairs and the room was decorated with all kinds of flower patterns, a few similar to Marinette's shirt.

Secretly, Nino smiled to himself.

He was both excited and scared for what his new life would bring, but he was sure he could handle it. At least, both Marinette and Adrien had managed. And being a superhero must be dangerous and stressful but surely amazing as well.

"So, Carapace.", the old man turned to him, bringing him back from his thoughts, "I am Master Fu and I will be your mentor until either you are ready or I will die."

Master Fu bowed with a mischievous smirk on his face.

"Wh-What?"

"That was a joke, young one. I will still live a while, don't fret. Anyways, Carapace, you are now the Turtle Miraculous wielder. We have much to discuss and I have much to teach you before you can fulfill your duty."

Nino let out a relieved breath before he answered.

"Yes. And you were the wielder before me?"

"That is very true, my friend. You must know, as a first, that the Turtle Miraculous is constantly activated. One wielder must always look over all Miraculous or otherwise they will fall into the wrong hands or could be forgotten over the time."

"That means, when I'm older I have to choose the next Miraculous wielder for the Turtle?"

Master Fu nodded while smiling warmly, grabbing a tea pot.

"Tea?"

"Um… Yes, thank you very much.", Nino moved the tea cup in front of him towards Master Fu, "So, I am the new Turtle Miraculous wielder and I know that there are the Ladybug, the Black Cat and the Butterfly. Are there others? And are they all… 'Guardians', as you said?"

Master Fu gave Nino back his filled tea cup and he nodded again.

"There are the Ladybug and the Black Cat as the yin and the yang. These are the key Miraculous. Additionally, there are five more Miraculous, called the guardians."

"Which animals do they represent, besides the Turtle and the Butterfly?"

"There are the Fox, the Bee and the Peacock left. And these Miraculous can build pairs too, just like the Ladybug and the Black Cat."

Nino tilted his head and scrunched together his eyebrows.

"What, pairs? How can they when they're five? And what pairs?"

"Easy there, young one.", Master Fu smirked again and the boy laughed.

"I'm sorry, Master Fu."

"If you call me Master that will be alright. And yes, the pairs. As the Ladybug stands for good luck and the Black Cat for bad luck, the other Miraculous stand for traits too, good ones as well as bad ones. Your partner as the Turtle wielder is the Butterfly Miraculous."

Instantly, Nino's eyes shot open, slowly beginning to shake his head.

"Hawkmoth?! Hawkmoth is my partner?!"

Master Fu smiled reassuringly, making a calming gesture towards the pale boy.

"The Butterfly Miraculous is your partner, not necessarily Hawkmoth as a human. The Turtle stands for steadiness and the Butterfly for change. Do you see it now?"

He nodded relieved, sipping on his tea.

"Okay, that's understandable. Which are the other pairs?"

"The other pair is the Fox and the Peacock, the Fox standing for illusions and the Peacock standing for the truth. The Bee Miraculous has no partner."

Nino leant forward, eyeing Master Fu suspiciously.

"The Bee has no partner? Well, what does the Bee stand for?"

Suddenly, Master Fu looked rather sad, probably remembering something in the past.

"The Bee stands for loyalty and vitality."

He nodded, clenching his teeth.

"So, the opposite and partner for the Bee is-… Betrayal and Death?"

Master Fu suddenly smiled and drank his tea.

"Well, that shall be another lesson. Do you have any other questions?"

The boy decided that he would wait until it would be needed. He took another sip of his tea, thinking about what Wayzz had told him earlier. He had mentioned that Nino would get to know why he was chosen.

"So, Master, why did you get me for the next wielder? You could've gotten anyone, so why am I this one special person who was selected?"

"Ah, that is a very good question, young one. I had noticed you earlier on, even before the incident with Miss Fortune. You know now that the Turtle Miraculous stands for steadiness and you must be asking yourself in which situation you've proved that."

"Well, I'm well off on my own two feet and-…"

"That is not a physical question.", Master Fu grinned at Nino who was quick to rub the back of his head, "It is a trait that you have. Being a tower of strength, so to say. You and I know very well that you don't exactly are what you'd expect the Miraculous of steadiness to require. A wielder who is prudent and calm, a man of his word and responsibilities."

The boy laughed nervously but Master Fu continued without hesitating.

"I am not saying that you are a bad person just because you don't take school that seriously although you are graduating. Or that you are rather choosing to pursue your hobbies in the hopes of being successful in this department rather than playing it safe and trying to get an apprenticeship. I am saying that you maybe need some, let's say… Balance in your life."

Nino tilted his head curiously, not really understanding where Master Fu was going with this.

"But-… Wayzz said earlier that I both need and fulfill the Miraculous. So, I know that I'm not the steadiest guy. What did I do to deserve the Turtle Miraculous?"

At this, Master Fu set down his tea cup and suddenly got very serious. Nino gulped but forced himself to hold the gaze of the old man's dark brown eyes.

"I've been paying attention to you while your friend Ladybug had a hard time. She was depressed, helpless and desperate because of her hopeless situation. And you stayed with her. Of course, you were grieving because you as well thought her akumatized form had killed Ladybug, but you stood up for her regardless and tried your best to protect her from the wrath of her classmates, especially the mayor's daughter. As you already know from Wayzz, you are the wielder of the Turtle which stands for the protection of the other Miraculous. You proved both steadiness and protection skills while Ladybug needed it the most. She didn't quite realize it, which is understandable because of her condition at that moment, but you still were by her side. And you took the sword Hawkmoth had meant for Chat Noir. You threw yourself between the two to protect someone you didn't know to be your best friend yet. You barely knew Chat Noir other than the superhero who kept Paris safe. And yet, you protected him with your life. That was the most striking action for me to choose you as my successor."

Nino nodded, feeling stiff after what Master Fu had told him about the time he tried to be by Mari's side. He always thought he hadn't been there for her enough although she constantly had tried to make him feel otherwise. Seems like he really had been wrong.

"So, I-… I really both earned and need the Turtle Miraculous?", he asked quietly, his voice shaking.

"That you did and do, young one. I am very proud of you and I am sure you will fulfill your duty with all skills that are needed."

"And my duty is to protect the key Miraculous?"

"As well as the other Guardians and the Zodiacs, yes."

"The Zodiacs?", Nino questioned, tilting his head as the old man chuckled.

"Lesser Miraculous than the Guardians, 12 of these. They are minor Miraculous and not usually needed."

Nino looked up and nodded.

"Ah, okay… Yeah, of course, Wayzz said so before. I mean the protecting thing. So, I'll have to protect the Butterfly Miraculous too, but… How? Hawkmoth has it."

"There will be the time to defeat Hawkmoth and bring back the Butterfly Miraculous to its rightful place. And to be honest, I am hoping that you will be able to bring back the Butterfly Miraculous because it is your partner, after all. Maybe, Wayzz being able to transform again will make the job easier to free Nooroo, the Butterfly's Kwami."

The boy looked into his cup of tea, eyeing the brown liquid that slowly cooled down.

"… I understand.", he murmured, suddenly feeling very weird about the responsibilities that came with being a superhero. Master Fu stood up, smiling and put a hand on Nino's shoulder.

"Don't worry. You will be just fine, after all, you got friends to lead the way. You already learned from them how to keep an identity a secret and I am sure that you will do just as skillful as those two."

Nino flinched at the mention of a secret identity, deciding to ask about that as well.

"So, I have to keep my identity a secret like they did for four entire years?"

"Yes, I would advise it to you. Well, it might not be four years, it might be longer, it might be never. After all, maybe you want them to trust you as a hero as well before they know that you are their best friend."

Nino nodded again, lowering his head.

"Yes, yeah… You're right, of course."

Master Fu kneeled next to him and slightly squeezed his shoulder.

"See it like this, you have a mentor to teach you. They did not, they had to learn it all by themselves. With the help of their Kwami, but Tikki and Plagg are doing this for thousands of years by now, as do all the other Kwami, so they sometimes forget what's obvious to them."

Nino grinned.

"Thanks Master."

Master Fu smiled too, getting the tea pot and standing up.

"Well, do you need to know anything else? Oh, of course, one of the most important things.", he went over to his gramophone and pressed buttons Nino hadn't seen before.

"What is this, Master Fu?", he stood up and carefully neared the old man, unsure whether he was allowed to look.

"Come here, young one. These-", he stepped aside for Nino to get a closer look at what was hiding inside his gramophone, "... Are the Miraculous. Well, a few of them at least. It is mostly the box that contains them when they are not activated."

The boy's eyes widened as he saw the brown box that was opened up. There was a yin and yang in the middle, both empty. He assumed it were the sections for the Ladybug and the Black Cat Miraculous. They were in the middle while around them, there were five more sections, each for one Miraculous of the guardians.

"The Fox and the Bee are the ones that are left as you see. The Butterfly has Hawkmoth, the Turtle you and the Ladybug and the Black Cat are activated as well."

Nino scrunched together his eyebrows and pointed to the blue section that was empty too.

"What's this one?"

Master Fu's shoulders slumped.

"Ah, yes. The Peacock Miraculous. It went missing after something… Something bad happened to its wielder."

"I understand… So, the Fox and the Bee are left. Will they be given out to someone while I'm the Turtle Miraculous wielder?"

"Most likely, actually, for this is a job for a lifetime, at least for you."

He laughed and rubbed the back of his head.

"Oh, yeah, right. So, when will I be able to join Ladybug and Chat Noir?"

"Your time will come soon enough. But for now, we have to discuss a few other things. Come here, sit down again. Your new life will be dangerous and it will bring you to your limits even before you'll start fighting."

Nino gulped as Master Fu led him to the pillow again after letting the box vanish into the gramophone, giving him some more tea, probably to calm him.

* * *

Late into the afternoon the boy finally got home, completely exhausted.

"Woah Wayzz, Master Fu sure is being ambitious with me."

"He has to be, young Nino. He doesn't want you to have any problems with your new responsibilities.", his Kwami tried to soothe him by stroking his short brown hair.

"Yeah, I know… I'm grateful, don't worry. It's just… Everything is just going so fast."

They both sighed and Wayzz nestled himself into Nino's hair. He felt the tiny Turtle shell press against the top of his head and couldn't help himself but smile.

"Wayzz?", the boy asked, his voice slow and careful.

The Kwami perked up at his name, humming gently as he stretched on Nino's hair.

"Yes, young Nino?"

He took time to phrase the question right, struggling with himself to get the right words out.

"What-… What if I'm not the right one for the job? I mean… Sure, I was chosen and all that but… What if I'm just not…"

His hand once again wandered up to his chest, stroking over the soft bump of his remaining scar.

"Maybe just because of that.", Wayzz replied, reading his thoughts. The little Kwami got up and floated off of Nino's head, to make eye contact with the boy as he lowered himself down to his hand that was on his chest.

"But-… I mean…"

Wayzz nodded, his eyes serious.

"Nino, you'd give everything for your friends. For your family, every single stranger and even for your enemies. You're a guardian, a perfect wielder for the turtle Miraculous. Master Fu himself was surprised at the power of your actions, to jump between your friends and the sword. And yet-", he stroked Nino's thumb, "You've never wasted a thought to take revenge on Hawkmoth other than wanting to see him behind bars, paying for his crimes. Healthy and well but punished. You are the ideal protector. Did you know Chat Noir wants to see Hawkmoth dead for what he did to Ladybug?"

Nino's eyes widened as he heard what the Kwami said.

"Wait, so you're saying Adrien wants to kill Hawkmoth?!"

The small, green Kwami shrugged to this, his eyes averted as he leant back.

"He can't help it. Destruction requires wrath and despite the calm nature of your friend, he still wields the Miraculous of destruction. And since he's a key Miraculous holder, his soul and mind are molten with the Miraculous' traits. It's a perfect Yin and Yang. He's just as much an equality in himself as his powers are to his partner's."

Nino slowly hummed, still brushing over the scar as he looked up to the ceiling, letting his thoughts flow freely.

"So that means Marinette is the exact opposite to Adrien?"

"Ladybug's character is, in contrary to Chat Noir's, a little brash and careless, as well as impulsive and intuitive. The Miraculous has awoken her rationality and logic, her calmness in fights as well as her ability to put mind above heart but always acknowledge the morally right thing to do."

"And I have an opposite, too, right? Master Fu said my partner is the butterfly."

"Ah, yes.", Wayzz answered, a little lost in thoughts, "In contrary to the turtle's steadiness stands the constantly changing, multifaceted butterfly. Your own traits are a little lightheaded carelessness while the turtle awoke the responsibility within you. The butterfly's wielder should be the exact opposite but as it seems, Hawkmoth is not. He is not a chosen and thus, cannot use the full span of Nooroo's powers. Master Fu and I have monitored and analyzed his Akumas and tactics for a year now and this is definitely not all the butterfly can provide. Perhaps a reason why Hawkmoth wants the two key Miraculous, despite combining them for the ultimate power."

With a surprised expression, Nino looked down to the Kwami again and furrowed his eyebrows.

"Wait, so you're telling me the butterfly is not at its full power?!"

"Yes, Hawkmoth is not a chosen but it is possible for humans who aren't chosen by any Zodiac, Guardian or Key to wield a Zodiac freely and a Guardian with limits. Those who are not chosen cannot access the full power of a Miraculous, or wield a Key Miraculous. That is why he can only seldomly transform twice the same day, but mostly needs a day break between his transformations. Chosen can transform as they wish, as long as their Kwami is charged."

The boy leant back again, dumbfounded.

"So the butterfly is not even at its full power…"

Wayzz shrugged.

"The Key Miraculous are not significantly stronger than the Guardians. Sure, they have a few more features, a little more power and they require the wielder to withstand more energy, plus they're the oldest known Miraculous. But you remember how comparably quickly Chat Noir was at defeating an Akuma when Ladybug wasn't around?"

"Comparably quickly?", Nino snorted.

"He didn't take days to take one down. And yes, while the quantity wore him down, he still defeated most Akumas within an hour, a lot even under half an hour. And while the fights were hard, once Chat Noir had noticed a villains fighting technique and had gotten used to their unique powers, he was able to locate and destroy the akumatized object fairly fast. And that is just Chat Noir alone, driven by nothing but incredible loss, despair, anger and sheer willpower. Together with Ladybug they have only had a few exceptions where the Akuma was good enough at fleeing to let the fight take more than a few minutes. If the butterfly had all the power the wielder could use, it would surely look a little different. The Key Miraculous combined would need as much time as Chat Noir needed during spring and one Key wielder alone would still win. But barely."

They remained silent for a few minutes before the boy spoke up again, his voice breaking and quiet.

"Do-… Do Adrien and Marinette know that…?"

"Master Fu has informed them, yes."

"Phew, okay…", the boy sighed relieved.


	4. Chapter 4

Mooooooore lore!  
Okay yeah I know it could be a bit boring, but I promise it's all important!  
Also, I already changed my previous Wind Tumblr posts, but I'll be uploading the full chapters on Tumblr, now, too.  
Anyway, less talking, more reading x)  
Enjoy~

* * *

"So, Tikki, I was wondering…", Marinette started again, pulling together her eyebrows once more.

"What is it, Marinette?"

"Well, we're fighting against Hawkmoth. And Hawkmoth has the Butterfly Miraculous. So… Normally, the Miraculous are there to help people. But against what? Is it always the Butterfly Miraculous?"

Tikki patted the girl's cheek, smiling softly.

"Normally, the Miraculous are activated to protect the human race from themselves. Wars, conflicts, cruelty and so on. But there were times in the past, and not exactly few, when a Miraculous wielder got hungry for power or got corrupted or the Miraculous were stolen by people who needed these powers to accomplish something in their life, usually politically."

Marinette nodded, rolling on her back to stare up at the ceiling. Adrien had just left for home and she was laying on her bed, talking to Tikki.

"So, various Miraculous were used for bad in the past?"

"Yes. Every Miraculous was controlled by someone who had something bad in mind at least once. Everytime this would happen, the yin and the yang, the key Miraculous were activated to take care of the Miraculous that was used. For such things like for what the Miraculous were originally created, the guardians would be activated and not Plagg or me."

"So, how many Miraculous are there again?"

"Two key Miraculous and five guardian Miraculous, of which the Turtle is constantly activated to protect the other Miraculous. And the twelve Zodiac Miraculous, each representing an animal from the Zodiac circle, but these are minor Miraculous."

"So there is Chat and me, we're the key Miraculous. And from the guardians there's Hawkmoth, the Butterfly Miraculous. You mentioned the Turtle. Which three are left?"

"There's the Bee, the Peacock and the Fox."

Marinette's eyes widened and she turned her head to look at Tikki.

"The Fox Miraculous? Volpina? This really is a thing?!"

"Yes, Marinette. But as you already know, the Volpina you got to know earlier wasn't the real one. The true Fox Miraculous is still in the box safe with the Turtle guardian."

"You mean Master Fu, don't you?"

"Exactly."

"And-… Could Volpina be chosen while I'm Ladybug?"

Tikki brought a little paw up to her chin, thinking about that for a while.

"Well, it could be… But you can trust this wielder then, I believe."

Marinette nodded, staring up at the ceiling again.

"And… Master Fu is pretty old… Do you think he'll chose a new wielder soon?"

"Oh Marinette, you're so full of questions…"

"To my defense, I'm saving Paris every once in a while.", she smirked when Tikki sighed but laughed.

"True. I honestly don't know Marinette. All I know is that you should be patient and maybe a new guardian will be chosen. It's probably not so far away from now because Master Fu saw that you and Chat have a pretty good chance against Hawkmoth and I could imagine that he'll send you two help to defeat Hawkmoth once and for all."

The girl smiled, stretching and then crossing her arms behind her head.

"That'd be really cool. I hope it'll work! Chat and I could need a partner, the akumas are getting pretty strong lately.", her smile faltered after a little while, though. She turned over and bit her lip, obviously fighting with the question.

"But-… Why-… Why didn't Master Fu send help when Chat was alone? I-I mean-… I'm grateful he wasn't mad at me for losing my Miraculous and failing… But Adrien had a real problem, he even had to ask Alya to transform for him once. How come Master Fu didn't want to help him?"

Tikki rested next to her head on the pillow and became a bit more thoughtful, lightly tapping on her nose.

"I believe there's an explanation to this… Maybe ask him sometime, Marinette. I'm sure he had his reasons.", after a short break in which Marinette nodded she changed the topic again, "And I also think Hawkmoth finally understood that you two are a challenge. That could be why he never stays at one place and doesn't akumatize people so often anymore."

"Speaking of which, why is he able to only akumatize one person at a time? There are many people in Paris and surely there are a few of them sad at the same time."

"Well, you and Chat Noir, you both detransform five minutes after using your secret superpower. You have limited powers and so does Hawkmoth. He can only evilize one person at a time, he doesn't have the power for more. It's like with your Lucky Charm, you can only cast one."

"I understand…"

They laid next to each other just enjoying the silence for a few moments before the girl decided to speak up again.

"So, Tikki… Will you stay with me even after we defeated Hawkmoth?"

She heard the Kwami shift on the pillow and look at her.

"Do you want me to?"

Marinette faced the tiny goddess and her mouth hung open for just a few seconds. Then, she collected herself again, nodding furiously.

"Of course I want you to! I love you, Tikki, you're one of my closest friends!"

The Kwami smiled and nuzzled her cheek.

"I love you too, Marinette. And I will be honored if I can stay with you."

They both laughed but quickly settled again, Tikki now laying on the girl's stomach. For a moment, the silence took over and they both just breathed, enjoying to be with each other.

Sometimes they needed that.

After being separated they had began just to feel each other's presence, sometimes not saying one word for hours while breathing together, trying to overcome the past by enjoying the safety of feeling the other breathing. That was enough to keep them both, but mostly Marinette, on the ground.

"Tikki, was one of your wielders once corrupted too?"

She was quiet and Marinette had to softly nudge her head to get a response, then comfortingly brush over Tikki's forehead to keep her going.

"Well… Yes… There were two of them. It was not nice. They used me and controlled me. The first one was from Finland and surprisingly strong. _Puna_ , my Ladybug, and his partner, _Musta_ , Plagg's Black Cat, had just defeated _'sininen varjo'_ aka _'blue shadow'_ , as my wielder, Torjen, experienced the power that came with having both key Miraculous united. His Black Cat, Nilo, had been unconscious at that time and alone, Torjen would've never had a chance against the corrupted wielder of the Peacock Miraculous. So he took _Musta_ 's ring and defeated his enemy, killing the Peacock wielder in the process. I started begging Torjen to stop this in an instant and let Plagg go, let the power go, return to his old self and get back to his family, to his wife and young children. He wouldn't listen… Luckily, Nilo had awoken again and took Torjen down, taking his ring back. He was too slow to save me, even though Plagg gave him all the strength he could to prevent me becoming a prisoner. Plagg had to witness that three times at this point already and he didn't want me to go through this too. I-… I still remember his worried look right before Nilo transformed and fled. It had been ten years until three Miraculous wielders, _Musta_ himself, the Peacock and the Butterfly Miraculous took down Torjen. He-… He died a horrible… _Horrible_ death…"

Marinette scooped up her Kwami and felt something wet on her cheek as she sat up.

"Tikki, you don't have to tell me about this, you know? If it is too painful then you don't have to do anything."

The little red goddess shook her head and looked up at her current wielder while trying to manage a smile.

"No, it's alright… You should know about this anyway. So, that was the first time it happened… It was the worst too. It was completely new for me and it had happened so fast… And Torjen died while being transformed so I had to witness every little detail, it was-… Not nice, really. As I said, his death was a painful one and I wish to never have to live through something like that again."

The girl nodded, placing a little kiss on the Kwami's forehead.

"And, well, the second time was not that long ago, actually. Torjen lived almost 1300 years ago, the second time is only a bit over 160 years ago."

"Only, huh?", Marinette smiled as Tikki snorted.

"For me it's only, especially when I'm deactivated most of the time. Anyways, the second time had lasted just about one month. It was in Spain, and _Mariquita_ or Sofía, had been a girl, just like you. She'd lost her family to one of the revolutions there and desperate through her mourning, she decided to suddenly hunt down her partner _Gato_. I never got to know who he was and Plagg doesn't want to tell me, but I think it's been her younger brother, Nicolás, who she believed was dead. He was fast and able to snatch the Miraculous from her just a month after her mind was twisted by her sadness. But he never revealed and so, she committed suicide right after he took the Miraculous from her.", Tikki sniffed and shook her head, "She had only been twelve…"

They stayed quiet for a while, just Marinette comforting Tikki. As the girl was sure her Kwami felt better again, she bit her lip.

"H-How many times-… How many times had the Black Cat Miraculous been used like this?"

"Plagg had been in such a situation eleven times now. That's probably the reason why he doesn't exactly want to bond or talk about serious things with his wielder. Plagg's grown distant since this one wielder, _Panteră_ , Joana, back in what you now call Rumania in 509. I think he was in love with her, just a little bit. And then, she turned against him, grew cold and angry with the world. That's when Plagg changed."

Marinette's shoulders slumped and she laid back again, resting her head on her soft pillow and caressing Tikki's head on her chest which resulted in a slight buzzing coming from inside the Kwami.

Just when she was about to fall asleep, a quiet knock on her window startled her awake again.

Green eyes flashed and she was out of the bed faster than Tikki could process.

The girl was down her stairs to her window, ripping it open and letting in a completely soaked Chat Noir.

"What are you doing? Chat, you were here literally around an hour ago."

"Yeah, but I couldn't wait to see you again! I was just missing you.", he grinned and shook his wet hair to sprinkle her with raindrops.

"Ugh, please detransform, kitty, or otherwise you'll get water everywhere. I'm getting a towel for you and camembert for Plagg. And then you're telling me what really brought you here."

He nodded still showing his teeth in a cocky grin, releasing his transformation just before she left her room, catching Plagg in his hands.

"Thanks buddy… I just-… I had to get away from there.", he whispered just when he was sure she couldn't hear them anymore.

"It's okay Adrien. Just get me cheese.", the little Black Cat dismissed it with a wave of his paw, already looking around for Tikki. She just came floating down from the bed, settling in Adrien's hand as well after shooting a questioning look to him. He nodded smiling, watching as she laid down next to her boyfriend, snuggling close to him even though he was as wet as Adrien's hair.

He heard them whispering but didn't pay attention to give them some privacy, until Tikki spoke up.

"Why did you have to 'get away' Adrien? Is it because of your dad?"

"Keep it down, will ya?", he received an accusing glance of the tiny goddess and rolled his eyes, "Yeah, okay, it was because of my dad. But please don't tell-…"

"What should who not tell?", Marinette just came up again to toss the towel to Adrien who caught it with his other hand. She went to set down the plate with camembert on her desk, turning around to face Adrien again.

"Uh-… nothing?", he tried. Tikki's annoyed huff alone got him busted.

"Okay, what's going on?", her eyebrows scrunched together and she pouted, making the face Adrien could never say no to.

"Uh, well, you see… I-… I kinda had to get out of my home because-…"

She gestured him to go on and he laughed nervously.

"My room is just too big! It's cold and lifeless and I missed you!"

She nodded, coming up to him and taking the Kwami from his hand cautiously. She brought them back to the table where Plagg instantly attacked the cheese which resulted in a disgusted but also amused snort from his partner. Marinette as well smiled a bit before returning to Adrien, putting her hands on top of his chest.

"Adrien, I can tell when you're lying. And it wouldn't just be that when it's raining like that outside. You hate the rain, I know that. So please, tell me. What's going on?"

He sighed, placing a little kiss on her forehead before sitting down on her chaise, pulling her into his lap while doing so.

"Yeah, okay, it's my dad again. He's being… Overprotective."

She pressed her face into his shirt on his shoulder, trying to comfort him.

"I'm sorry… What did he suggest this time?"

"He tried to take me out of school, because we're nearing our graduation and he wants the best possible grades for me… And he thinks I'm doing better if I'm being homeschooled again especially now that we're together…"

"He thinks I'm distracting you?"

"Don't get him wrong, Mari, he just… He really likes you, I think, it's just that… No, he thinks exactly that if I'm being honest. Well, along with other things like friends and not being individually schooled and so on…"

She inhaled his scent and shook her head.

"How did you get out of this? Did you get out?"

He smiled and pressed a little kiss to her dark blue hair.

"I did get out, luckily. I told him it was unreasonable and that my grades are better than ever. He just… He doesn't want to see that. Anyway, I had to see you. The argument with my father was pretty… Harsh. Especially against Nino. You know he doesn't like him."

She nodded, lightly kissing his chin and then looked up to his green eyes, smiling.

"I'm right here, kitty cat. Now, don't think about it anymore, okay? You are staying in school and if your father tries to take you out again, a certain superhero will have a word or two with him."

He laughed, nuzzling his nose against hers.

"You wouldn't do that, bugaboo. And now, I promise I won't think about it anymore. We have more important things to do.", he waggled his eyebrows and she couldn't help but laugh.

"Like what, patting you?", he nodded enthusiastically and she laughed a little louder, scratching the back of his head, "The silly cat that you are, of course you came here just for pats."

He purred and laid down on the chaise, pulling her on his chest with him.

"Well, for what else would I be coming over? Kisses?", he trailed off, his purring never stopping when she pressed her lips lightly on his, "Okay, maybe-…"

He grinned against her and his hands went up and down her back.

"I love you, _purr_ incess."

"And I love you, kitty cat."


	5. Chapter 5

Finally, the first super meeting!  
(Keep in mind that Carapace and Firena have never showed up yet, even 3 years after canon it's always been Ladybug and Chat Noir here)  
Yeah, that's all I wanted to say.  
Also, I'd love some comments! Like, it doesn't have to be much, just a big AAAAA or How dare you or anything like that, you guys don't even know how encouraging that is! ;-;;  
It's just that I put a lot of work into this and I'd love to hear from you how you think it is. Critique appreciated! I wanna get better, need to get better! Give me advice, some input, some ideas regarding my writing style, my characterizations, anything!  
Anyway, here's the chapter for you!  
Enjoy~

* * *

Nino usually ignored his alarm clock until he had ten minutes to get to school, seven minutes of which he had to walk there. It was rushed everytime in the mornings and usually he didn't get something to eat until he was in school, though it was satisfying everytime to get a few more minutes of dozing off until he had the adrenaline rush that drew him out of bed and his father to look at him shaking his head smiling, ruffling his hair before he had the chance to put his signature cap on.

But today, he heard the first Beeping of his alarm clock and something green was in his face.

"Rise and shine, young master!", Wayzz cheered.

Nino groaned and rubbed his eyes.

"W-Wha-… I thought we had established that you don't have to call me master?"

"Yes, of course, young one. Now, the sun is up already!"

"Ugh…", Nino groaned annoyed, "I swear Wayzz, if you're gonna like that every morning, I'm gonna ditch you."

"We both know you don't mean that, young Nino. And besides, you know for a fact that you're destined for your task, you can feel it. You wouldn't want to betray your own honor like this."

"Yea, yeah…", Nino sighed, "Of course, destined and feel and stuff…"

"Well then, do as the Turtle says and get up!"

Nino laughed and sat up.

"At least I'm gonna get something to eat here then, huh?"

Wayzz nodded and laughed as Nino got some clothes from his drawer to wear today. He then turned to see the Kwami still looking at him.

"Um… Don't wanna be rude or something but-… Do you mind?"

Wayzz first tilted his head but as Nino rolled his eyes and pointed at his clothes, he understood.

"Oh, you have nothing to be ashamed of. I'm a Kwami, I have watched hundreds of men and women get naked."

"Yeah, but I haven't and I happen to not be as old as you are."

"Young master, I have literally touched every part of your body by now, simply because you transformed yesterday. There is seriously nothing to be ashamed of."

Nino's face fell and he glanced down, remembering the skin-tight suit he was wearing while being Carapace. He looked up at the Kwami who was laughing into his tiny paw by now.

"Yeah yeah, alright, I get it. Just you laugh. I don't care anymore."

* * *

On his way to school, Nino still pouted. He had thrown over a jacket again even though summer just ended, still warming up the days enough for shirts.

"You could've told me a bit more sensitive, y'know?", he scolded his Kwami who peeked out of his pocket inside the jacket, still grinning.

"I guess I could have. Some things don't occur to us Kwamis like they do to you humans. Time has made us take some things for granted, of sorts. And besides, it is funny to see you flustered, admittedly.", Wayzz chuckled silently.

"Alya already does that to me. That's enough, I believe."

Wayzz grinned suddenly very unlike his usually so composed state, something Nino didn't like.

"Well, better more than not enough."

"Thanks, Wayzz. Now hide and sleep or something, we'll be at the school in a few seconds and it's gonna look suspicious if I'm talking to my jacket like Marinette and Adrien already do.", he heard the Kwami snort and had to smile.

"Alya would freak out if she knew…", he murmured but resisted to look into his jacket once more to check if Wayzz was comfortable. He stepped into the classroom and grinned at Alya who waved him good morning. Adrien also waved and smiled, lightly punching his shoulder as Nino sat down.

"Wow man, finally crawled out of the bed even earlier than Mari, huh?"

"Hey, I'm always timing it so I'll be earlier at school then Marinette."

"By a few seconds, idiot. Must have something to do with you and Marinette being in the same class since what, kindergarten?", Alya laughed, snipping his cap off his head.

He laughed and readjusted his cap, turning around to face her.

"Well, I'm always earlier than Marinette. And maybe it has something to do with us being in the same class for so long already, but it's not confirmed yet by the scientists. They still have to run a few tests."

She rolled her eyes and leaned back, glancing at her phone to check the time.

"You're a dork. But seriously, it's ten minutes before class starts. You sure everything is alright with you?"

He grinned and rubbed the back of his head, lightly waving hello to Alix who entered the classroom.

"Better than alright! I've just-… Uh, slept well, that's all! Had had a good night's sleep for the first time since what, two years? Something like that."

Alya smiled, winking at him.

"I'm glad. Now, where is that girl again?", she suddenly whispered, leaning forward to the boys, "Seriously, Tikki should have a trick of how to wake her up effectively by now."

Adrien laughed nervously and received a questioning look by Alya.

"I may or may not have kept her up a little longer than planned yesterday. I have no problem with that but when Mari isn't getting enough sleep she's hard to wake up. Sorry!"

"Ugh, Adrien, you know better than to seduce your girlfriend into staying up late just because you're bored and you can take it."

"Hey, she's quite capable of throwing me out on her own!"

"Yeah, but you know she can't resist that pretty face of yours and you also know that when you're pouting she really can't say no to anything anymore."

Adrien wiggled his eyebrows and a little too much Chat Noir was showing if someone asked Alya.

"Quit being stupid, Agreste.", she giggled and groaned as he grinned even wider.

" _Meouch_ , Alya!"

"Oh, don't you even go there! You have Mari to annoy with your puns, I'm out!"

He laughed and almost fell of the school desk when finally, one minute before class would start, Marinette came running in.

"I'm here! I'm here on time! Yes!", she cheered, walking over to the boys' desk and placing a little kiss on Adrien's cheek. She then sat down next to Alya only to get a bone crushing hug from her best friend.

"You made it! We should celebrate that sometime! How many parties does that make then, two?"

The girl playfully punched her best friend's shoulder, scowling.

"Hey, I was on time pretty often already!"

"I have to agree, in elementary school Marinette was pretty on point each morning.", Nino grinned, fist bumping with the equally wide grinning girl.

Adrien turned around and winked at her proudly before Miss Bustier stood up from the teacher's desk and asked the class to settle down.

* * *

The day went by uneventfully, even if Nino buzzed from excitement. He had asked Adrien when he and Marinette would be on patrol again and when the answer had been today, he had internally freaked out. He would be able to meet them as Carapace this evening!

When he sprinted home after school he laughed madly, worrying every pedestrian on the streets that he'd gone insane. When he got home he kissed his mother and little sister on the cheek, gave his father a tight hug and ruffled his little brother's hair before running to his room, yelling he would be finishing his homework before dinner.

It resulted in four irritated glances to his door but Nino couldn't help it. He knew the enthusiasm wouldn't last long to even infect his school work, so he wanted to use it when it still was there. And much to his surprise, he really had finished his homework before dinner, as he had promised.

Wayzz had complimented him on how concentrated he had worked, settling with a few sunflower seeds as Nino headed for dinner. He almost couldn't sit still while eating with his family, being even more energetic than his younger siblings and these two were twins.

"I'm finished! Can I go to my room?", he practically bounced on his seat and with an irritated smile, his mother dismissed him.

Beaming, he found Wayzz dozing on his desk, opening one lazy eye as the boy entered the room.

"I could've been André, y'know?", he laughed, "Or Joan. Or my parents. And you're just laying here in the open."

"I would've played toy then.", they both grinned at each other, "When's patrol tonight?"

"I couldn't ask him, because then he would've suspected something. But I guess it's around 10 pm, they always start their patrol around that time."

"He couldn't have suspected it, Nino. It's the Miraculous magic. No Miraculous wielder can identify the other unless they're revealing themselves."

Nino gaped at Wayzz.

"Really? So, that's why Adrien and Marinette weren't able to recognize each other!"

"Exactly. And now, would you just sit down? We still have a few things to talk about and you still got more than enough time before patrol starts."

Nino nodded eagerly.

* * *

 _"_ _Wayzz, Shields up!"_

Within seconds, Carapace stood in place of Nino and grinned. He was ready for patrol. With a swift movement, he was out of his window, careful that nobody on the dark street down there would see him. He swung himself up on the roof, surprised by the sudden strength and agility that gave him the option of doing two backflips whilst swinging himself up. He had closed the window in the process so that his family wouldn't think he did something crazy.

What he, admittedly, was about to do.

He was about to join the superhero team that kept Paris save. If they trusted him and let him join, that is.

Nino sighed against the drizzle that was coming down for days now, nearly drowning Paris, and steadied himself against the piercing cold wind.

"Alright Wayzz, let's see what I can do…", he grinned as he took off, running across the rooftop to jump to another. As he jumped off, he instinctively grabbed his shield and rotated it, faster than he could have ever imagined. He grinned as he soared through the cold air, his lungs piercing with a joyful breath that he drew in too fast. He laughed when he landed, instantly breaking into a sprint. He fastened, jumping again. This time he didn't need his shield so he put it back on his back midair. He felt like he flew, drizzly rain punching against his face, soaking his hair.

Even if Carapace didn't find Ladybug and Chat Noir patrolling in the dark, wet night, he was still free, testing out his own abilities, daring his strength to its limits.

He was at the Eiffel Tower in no time. He crawled up to the top with ease, ignoring that the metal might be slippery, simply because he didn't notice. His grip was safe, his feet practically glued to the spot where he was running up the monument.

When he reached the top he looked over Paris, grateful that Wayzz was able to grant him such a beautiful view.

Carapace stayed until he remembered what he had intended to do the whole day already.

Introducing himself to the superheroes who watched over Paris for years now, two of his best friends.

He waited for ten minutes until a familiar zipping noise and a metallic _clank_ neared him. He looked down to see that Ladybug and Chat Noir arrived at the Eiffel Tower, her being a little faster than him. She was always faster than him.

They laughed. Obviously, they had raced each other to their favorite spot in Paris. Carapace decided it was time for his great introduction. They'd probably think he was an Akuma or a crazed fan, so he had to approach them slowly and trustworthy.

He heard them bantering beneath him and jumped down to their levels before they would start their patrol. As his feet touched the ground, Chat Noir almost instantly swirled around, his ears twitching, reaching out to pull his lady behind him.

"Who are you?", he growled, already having one hand on his baton.

Carapace held out his hands to show he didn't have a weapon with him. He slowly approached them, still holding out his hands to calm them.

"I'm Carapace. I'm a Miraculous wielder, like you are."

"Volpina said the same.", Ladybug snapped, spiraling her Yo-Yo, creating a zipping sound and a circle of light.

"I know, I know. But I'm a guardian of the Miraculous. I was chosen, by Master Fu. I believe you know him?"

That seemed to put Ladybug more at ease, she slowed down her Yo-Yo until she was able to catch it, clipping it to her waist again. She put a calming hand to Chat's shoulder who seemed to hiss as Carapace slowly grabbed his shield and laid it before his feet.

"You're different than she was. But I really don't know if I should trust you yet."

"I'm no Akuma, Ladybug. I was chosen just yesterday and I'm laying out my shield before you to prove I mean no harm."

He lowered his head and waited until Ladybug and Chat had decided. It was about five minutes of whispering until someone spoke up.

"Well, your name was Carapace, you said?", he heard his best friends voice and a smile laid in it. Carapace looked up and grinned as he saw Chat picking up his shield and handing it back to him.

"Yeah. You guys really don't know how glad I would be if there was an Akuma so I could prove to you I'm real."

"I think, we can trust you.", Ladybug now spoke, holding out a hand for him to shake it, "Hawkmoth has already pulled the one with the fake Miraculous. I really don't think he'd be willing to take the same risk again. And Volpina was very different from what we saw of you by now."

"Welcome to the team, man. But if you're tricking us you'll be held responsible."

"Of course, dude.", Carapace grinned even wider when he shook Chat's hand as well, answering without any hesitation, "Cool of you to trust me. I'm really looking forward to working with you two."

He knew of course that they didn't quite trust him yet. Maybe they wanted to make him feel safe, get him to do a wrong step and then expose him as an Akuma. But he couldn't blame them, he knew they had to be cautious. So he just smiled along, a small smile, hoping to prove himself relatively fast. Ladybug turned and began to swing her Yo-Yo.

"Ready to go, Chaton? Carapace? We still have a patrol to do."

"Let's see how fast you can go, man!", Chat grinned as he leaped after his lady.

"I'll try to catch up!", he shouted after them, running to the edge and jumping off the Eiffel Tower. The cold night air stung in his lungs and wind rushed past his ears. He laughed happily as he got his shield and began rotating it again, breaking into a sprint after landing gracefully on the ground. He was way faster than he had ever been able to go, feeling the asphalt under his feet flying by like the air he ran through. He jumped onto the next roof, using his shield as a lift again. He saw Ladybug and Chat Noir racing ahead and knew he still needed practice but was already catching up with the powers Wayzz gave him. They landed on a nearby roof, looking back, not expecting to see him already arriving next to them, happily panting out a white cloud that fled from his lips.

"Told ya I'd catch up to you."

"Wow, I seriously didn't expect you to be that fast, Turtle boy. I'm impressed, man!", Chat laughed and playfully punched his shoulder, already forgetting his suspicions against him.

"Careful, Chat.", Ladybug mumbled, eyeing Carapace with a side glance.

He grinned at her apologetically, desperately wishing for an Akuma very soon so they wouldn't have to worry because of him anymore. Another Akuma meant he really was a Miraculous wielder because Hawkmoth could only akumatize one person at a time, for more his powers weren't capable of. Much like Ladybug's, Chat's and Carapace's powers, Hawkmoth could only akumatize somebody one time before having to recharge himself and his Kwami.

Of course, Akuma were still a bad thing to happen, always creating chaos and sometimes even hurting people. Ladybug and Chat were positive the Akuma hadn't killed anyone yet and he sure hoped so, knowing that Ladybug wasn't able to bring back the dead to the living with her cleansing light, he was the living example for that. Marinette had later told him about how he still had breathed and because of that she'd been able to heal him. He assumed it had something to do with blood still pumping through the veins when the cleansing light worked its magic.

Ladybug shook her head a little bit irritated and took off again, eager to finish the patrol and get out of the rain which became stronger by the minute. Before, it had been a drizzle, but they already heard thunder rumbling in the distance and she knew very well how Chat got when it stormed too hard. They'd done a few patrols or had had to fight an Akuma in thunderstorms already and always, Chat had been anxious, not making any puns which had worried her to no end.

Carapace proved he could catch up with them, only falling behind when they really sped up.

She was still uneasy around him and she knew that he had noticed. She also knew that it was possible for Master Fu to choose another Miraculous wielder and she knew he had been the Turtle Miraculous wielder before. But what if Carapace had robbed Master Fu, possibly even killed the old man and had taken the Miraculous by force? When they made yet another halt she glanced to his wrist, seeing the bracelet hanging there. _Had_ he taken it by force? Or was he an Akuma?

Ladybug sighed, shaking her head, and noticed that Carapace's face fell a bit. She knew he wanted them to trust him and she knew as well he wanted to fight an Akuma to proof himself. But what if he himself was an Akuma and just waited for them to let their guards down, like they had with Volpina? The girl felt Chat's hand on her shoulder and straightened her back, sighing again.

She wanted to believe so desperately he was a friend. She wanted to have another partner, wanted to have help against Hawkmoth. But ever since Volpina, she couldn't trust anyone in a costume, jumping around Paris, who was not Chat or herself.

Silently making an agreement, Ladybug decided she would pay Master Fu a visit the next day. He would know best and if he really chose Carapace to be his heir because he was getting too old she would be thrilled to welcome Carapace in their team.

But until then, she was uncertain. Better to keep up her guards than to be surprised. Hawkmoth was clever, he knew how to play. But Ladybug knew how to counter, as well as Chat. And if Carapace was the one he claimed to be, he would soon know too.

They ended their patrol at the Eiffel tower, Ladybug even shaking Carapace's hand for a goodbye. She hadn't noticed anything weird about him, anything that would make her assume he was an akuma. He had been different from Volpina the very first time they had met. She didn't know how, but she had a good feeling with him.

She smiled as she watched him leave, his shield rotating above his head to keep him kind of floating. Chat nudged her shoulder, grinning to himself.

"He's cool, eh?"

She nodded, giving him a little kiss on the cheek.

"It would be a shame if he turned out to be an Akuma."

"Dunno, Plagg's giving me a good feeling about him. I think if he feels this way, he must sense the Kwami inside the Miraculous."

"I know, Tikki's giving me the same feeling. But I'll check on Master Fu tomorrow, to make sure he knows about this. You coming with me?"

"I should be free, yes."

They stood in silence for a few more minutes before Ladybug departed, kissing him goodbye as he wished her a good night.


	6. Chapter 6

Guys. I'm.  
So so sorry.  
I'm still on time for like three quarters of the world though! Or… A little less…  
I mean, I was kinda busy, I had to get to school (which takes me about 3 hours since my school's far away from home and I live there) sooooo I had to pack my stuff and yadda yadda, you know that.  
So, anyway!  
What matters is that here's the new chapter! At long last!  
And without further ado:  
Enjoy~

* * *

Nino slumped on his bed, sighing exhausted but happy.

"Wayzz, I'm freaking screaming on the inside right now."

"Understandable, kiddo. Get your rest. Maybe tomorrow, you'll be fighting your very first Akuma?"

"Ugh, please no! Tomorrow I'll be dying from soreness!"

Wayzz suddenly looked up from his sunflower seeds, appearing concerned.

"You'll be dying?"

The boy laughed, getting up to brush the little Kwami over his head, resulting in a giggle from Wayzz. Nino then proceeded to change and get himself ready for bed.

"It's just a saying, Wayzz. Don't worry, I'll be fine tomorrow, just a bit sore."

They both laughed and as the young DJ settled down for bed, the Kwami flew over and made himself comfortable on his chest.

"Sleep well, kid."

"You too."

* * *

Alya suspiciously eyed Nino as he entered the classroom. He looked tired.

Her gaze followed him until he sat down, turning away from her. She tilted her head and nudged Marinette who already sat next to her, drawing her attention on the box in front of them with a nod.

"He seems tired, don't you think?"

Marinette watched Nino's shoulders slumping and looked back at her best friend.

"Yeah, kinda..."

They watched him closely and Alya noticed that he seemed kind of stiff, too, but before she could say a word to her best friend, the girl already started speaking.

"Alya, I have to tell you something!", she lowered her voice and Alya instantly knew it was Ladybug business, "It was so weird yesterday! Chat and I did our patrol and out of nowhere this guy shows up!"

Immediately, Alya was all ears for Marinette.

"What guy?"

"He looked like us!"

The brunette tilted her head and looked at the girl next to her questioningly.

"Like you? In a costume, you mean? Was he an Akuma?! Aw, c'mon, I can't have missed an Akuma!"

"No, he claimed to be a Miraculous holder..."

They both pulled together their eyebrows and Alya's mind raced.

"Like Volpina did?"

Marinette shook her head and shrugged.

"No, he was different. He said his name was Carapace, looked like a Turtle and even laid down his shield - obviously, a weapon - before us. And I saw a bracelet which could be Master Fu's Miraculous."

She once again shrugged, completely clueless.

"You sure he's not an Akuma?"

"Well, he patrolled with us and made no move that could've given him away. But the point is, Alya, that I know the Turtle Miraculous wielder! He's a pretty old man named Master Fu and I wouldn't have thought he would give down his duty to a younger wielder this soon..."

"You think, this Carapace guy really does have the Miraculous-..."

"At least I saw it, yeah."

"... But you think he could've stolen it?"

"Or taken it by force... I'm checking on Master Fu today, with Adrien. Hopefully we won't have a very unpleasant surprise."

Her best friend nodded, readjusting her glasses, still thinking about this Carapace guy when Adrien entered the classroom and gave his girlfriend a quick peck on the cheek for a good morning.

Neither of them noticed the smile on Nino's face that he tried to hide and the little giggle from his pocket.

The day went by uneventfully, even if Marinette and Adrien kept pulling away Alya and Nino to some corner to talk with them alone. Of course, they already informed their two best friends about the new Miraculous wielder who they desperately hoped to be a true Miraculous wielder.

Nino just snickered, keeping his amusement to himself while his friends furiously talked about him in his superhero form.

"But what if he is just a hero who wants to help?", Alya asked.

"I really don't think we should trust him just yet…", Marinette furrowed her eyebrows.

"I'm not saying that, I'm just saying we should consider him being honest with us."

"You have to admit he doesn't seem like Volpina at all, Marinette.", Adrien remarked.

"Yeah, I know… Hopefully he won't turn against us."

"Maybe an Akuma is going to prove that?"

Instantly, Marinette slapped his shoulder and shook her head while a smirk played around his lips.

"Adrien, we don't _want_ Akuma! We'll hope to have as few Akuma in Paris until we defeat Hawkmoth, don't we?"

Nino chuckled as Marinette pouted and Adrien kissed her forehead.

"Of course, Princess. I'm just pointing out that maybe-…"

She groaned and he started laughing, wrapping an arm around her shoulder.

"Well…", Nino now spoke up, causing his friend's eyes to turn to him. He smiled at Alya over who he now towered in height, having experienced a pretty big growth spurt in the summer break, "I guess, you should give him a chance. He laid his shield down before you and didn't attack you, did he? Don't Akuma's usually attack right when you two are on the same spot?"

That seemed to make Marinette think, causing Adrien to place his chin on her head and grin. Absentmindedly, she lifted one of her hands and ruffled his hair behind his ears, resulting in a deep rumble and soon, students near them started turning to look for the cat that must be here somewhere. Alya rolled her eyes and nudged Marinette's side, making her drop the hand and slightly blush as she felt the purr vibrating on her back.

"Adrien.", she hissed and he opened his eyes, only then understanding what he was doing.

"Sorry.", he mumbled sheepishly, leaning down to the girl and rubbing his cheek on hers until the purr died down.

"No, I'm sorry. But this Turtle guy makes me thinking and it calms me when I'm patting you…"

He just snickered and ignored Alya's muffled grumbles of 'I-didn't-know-what-I-was-doing-when-shipping-you-two', resting his chin on one of her shoulders now.

"I just really hope, Master Fu's fine…", the girl murmured, right before the bell rang.

* * *

"Adrien, are you ready?", Marinette and Alya were standing at the door, waiting for the boys to get ready. The blonde nodded and grinned at her, lifting the strap of his bag to his shoulder and walking to the door to wrap his arm around her waist, leaving the classroom behind Alya after making sure Nino was with them, too.

"So, you wanna go right now?"

"Yeah, I wanna make sure he is okay right away. Are you okay with that?"

He kissed her cheek and she giggled.

"But of course, my lady. I'll just tell Nathalie. At least my father is out of town right now so I'm a bit off the hook."

She smiled and wrapped an arm around his waist as well, snuggling up against his warm body. Alya had to grin at that, hiding it in a snicker.

"Anyway, love birds. I've gotta go, you know, watching my little sisters. And a few cousins. Nino, you walking with me?"

He eagerly nodded, grinning. Lately, he had grown to walking her home, even though it was the longer way for him. He always earned a suggesting look from Adrien but he didn't mind. Some of the best conversations came up on the way to her home and he simply enjoyed talking to her, listening, or tease a bit.

"Of course. And I'm free for the afternoon, should I help you watching, too, or are you alright by yourself?"

Her eyes glowed when he said that, instantly taking his arm.

"You're booked. Seriously, you're the only one who can calm down the twins when they're throwing a tantrum."

He laughed and let himself be led away by Alya who pulled him down the streets.

* * *

When Adrien and Marinette arrived at Master Fu's little shop, she was shaking with anxiety.

"Do you think he is alright?"

Adrien swallowed but was way more relaxed than his girlfriend.

"I'm sure he is okay. After all, it's not that farfetched to choose a new Miraculous wielder, isn't it? So, let's give this a chance first before we jump to conclusions.", he smiled down at her and she nodded, taking his hand when she pushed against the door, a little bell chiming above them. They were greeted with a Chinese themed waiting room but Marinette didn't even stop. She walked right through, past empty chairs and the beautiful and colorful tapestries.

When they reached the door to Master Fu's office, she hesitated, scared to find something she didn't want to see. Adrien tightened his grip around her hand reassuringly, nudging her to knock.

"It'll be okay.", he whispered, when she lifted her fist and knocked against the dark wood of the door with her knuckles. Much to her relief, she heard a faint "Come in" in an old man's voice.

"Ah, I already wondered when you two would come to pay me a visit.", he grinned at the two teens, sitting cross legged on the far side of the table. Marinette looked around, finding nothing out of place and Master Fu also seemed fine to her. Tikki and Plagg immediately flew off to the gramophone that was standing on the table, vanishing inside. Marinette guessed it was a little bit like coming home for them.

"Hello, Master Fu. We are visiting, because-…"

"I know very well why you are here, Ladybug. And for the information I am about to give the two of you, I would advise you to sit down. Tea?"

Marinette nodded dumbstruck, taking a seat in front of the old man on the other side of the table, Adrien following her suit.

"So, you are here to ask for Carapace, am I right?"

"Yes, Master Fu.", the blonde replied, watching as the old man filled two cups with tea, giving them to the two. They murmured a quiet "Thank you" and instantly lifted the cups with the hot liquid up to their faces to melt a bit of the fall coldness.

"Yes. So, Carapace is not an Akuma, I can assure you that. I chose him and he is a Miraculous wielder as you two are."

Adrien nodded, daring to take a sip from his tea but burned his tongue as a punishment for his impatience.

"We can trust him, then. But I'm curious anyways. Who is it and why did you chose him? And what powers does he possess? What is his job? And how does he fit in with the other Miraculous?", Marinette asked, tilting her head.

Master Fu chuckled, the little wrinkles around his eyes deepening.

"You are quite curious, Ladybug. Well, about his identity I can say nothing. He will keep it a secret as you did from each other before. So, you will learn to trust a mask once again and not the person beneath. If he will reveal or if you will find out by accident is not in my hands but I don't think, his identity will be hidden as long as yours. He is quite rushing…"

The girl smiled sheepishly and lowered her gaze down to her tea that had cooled down just slightly.

"As for your other questions, he is the Turtle wielder. His power is to protect people, citizens as well as Miraculous wielders, especially you because you possess the key Miraculous. But he will protect the guardian Miraculous as well, whether they are activated or not. When he is ready, he will inherit the Miraculous box and he will be the new guardian over the Miraculous. As you may know, the Turtle Miraculous is constantly activated, so he will basically inherit my job as well. Keeping an eye on the Miraculous, wielders as well as jewels."

The teens both nodded, trying to process this information.

"His powers are a shield that he can summon and it can protect chosen objects form everything. He can form it as he likes and protect as many things as he wants but only for five minutes before he detransforms. As soon as he does, the shield will fade. He will be able to help you significantly while an Akuma attacks."

"But why did you activate another Miraculous?", Adrien asked hesitantly, "Well, I mean, I'm glad we'll have help but we were pretty capable of holding off the Akuma on our own for the last few years."

Suddenly, Master Fu's expression changed and he looked much more serious now. Adrien gulped, when he spoke again.

"You have noticed that the Akuma are getting stronger and less frequent. Hawkmoth's gotten more cautious now that you already had a pretty good chance in defeating him when facing him back then. But it hadn't been enough. I am not saying that you failed.", his eyes narrowed when he looked at the two superheroes, Marinette's shoulders already drooping and Adrien's tensing. They'd had many discussions about the fight in Hawkmoth's lair and Adrien constantly insisted that she had done nothing wrong by letting Hawkmoth escape and instead helping Nino while Marinette blamed herself for not being fast enough, "I am saying that you needed help, even back then and now more than ever. Hawkmoth is not as easy to confront anymore because he's changing his locations with every new Akuma. It simply hadn't been your time to defeat him because something was missing. And I apologize for not realizing that sooner."

Marinette looked up again and felt Adrien's hand above hers, where she subconsciously had started rubbing her faint scar again.

"So, I knew, I had to send out yet another Miraculous wielder to get you a little bit of help. And the Turtle is the best Miraculous to do that. I am too old to transform so I had to give it to Carapace. The Turtle can protect which will definitely help you and it is also the partner to the Butterfly Miraculous which will probably help you retrieve it from Hawkmoth."

Adrien furrowed his eyebrows.

"The partner? Won't he side with Hawkmoth then?"

"Ah, you're thinking wrong here. The Turtle Miraculous is not the partner of Hawkmoth but his Miraculous. That means, these two Miraculous belong to each other, the Turtle standing for steadiness and the Butterfly standing for change, they're balancing each other. It is similar to yours, creation and destruction. There is one other pair, that is the Fox and the Peacock, the Fox standing for illusions and the Peacock for truth. As you see, this connection might help you in defeating Hawkmoth."

There was a little silence while they all took a sip from their tea. It was quite a load of information, even though Marinette still had one question.

"What about the fifth Miraculous? Bee, isn't it? Doesn't it, too, have a partner?"

Master Fu looked down to the brown liquid that was dancing around in his cup. He then met their eyes again and Marinette was shocked to find that the playful smirk the old man always kept wasn't there anymore.

"It does."

She almost felt like it was inappropriate to ask. But they had to know.

"What is its partner?"

He set down his cup and Marinette imitated his actions, now worried.

"What is it?", Adrien silently asked.

"Tell me, do you know what the Bee Miraculous stands for?"

The girl and the blonde exchanged a look and furrowed their eyebrows.

"I-… I thought it stands for loyalty. And vitality, doesn't it?"

The old man nodded and Marinette breathed in through her teeth. She had suspected it and certainly didn't like it. But Adrien, much to her confusion, smiled.

"Don't worry, Mari. It won't affect us, there's only a slim chance the Miraculous will be activated while we're alive and it will be even more unlikely that it will be activated while we're wielder's too. So, relax.", he once again placed a gentle hand on top of hers and she felt the warm wind of his breath tingling her neck as he leaned in to give her a peck to her cheek.

Master Fu nodded, relieved that at least somebody was able to be optimistic. The last time the Bee Miraculous had been activated it had cost so many lives and even though it hadn't always ended like this, there was a high possibility that with each activation, the Bee holder would have to use their partner, like all the other Miraculous needed to. And with the partner being death, it always ended tragic. Much to Master Fu's despair, the Bee Miraculous had been corrupted like all the others, not as much as some, but each time it had been it had ended with so many causalities, counting as a massacre each time and leaving no Miraculous wielder alive but the Fox, hiding the Miraculous in a safe place and for the first and hopefully last time choosing a Turtle Miraculous wielder instead of the guardian who was supposed to do that. They could only speak of luck that the Turtle and the Fox had been very close and the Fox knew what traits to look for, or otherwise history could have taken a turn for the worst.

But as Chat Noir had said, there was a high possibility the Bee Miraculous wouldn't be activated during the time of their lives and so, they didn't need to worry about that for now. Especially because the Turtle was given to a more helpful holder now and Master Fu already had another wielder picked out and who knew, maybe they needed to be four to complete the job?

As Ladybug and Chat Noir stood up, thanking him for the tea and bowing in respect, he smiled. They certainly were the right to do this job and he knew he didn't fail like last time. He nodded them goodbye and walked them to the door, looking after them when they walked down the sidewalk, the boy wrapping one arm around his girl's shoulders and the girl wrapping her arm around his middle, searching for warmth in this chilly air of fall.

He sent a warm smile after them and nodded one last time before going back inside.

* * *

"You okay?", Adrien asked, nuzzling her soft hair.

Marinette nodded hesitatingly.

"What's wrong?"

"I just-… I don't like the idea that our Miraculous, the things that allow us to become superheroes, are connected to such cruelty. I mean, death as a partner? I can only imagine how cruel that must be… And how cruel it must have been in the past! You remember Jeanne D'Arc? She was a Ladybug, too, Tikki told me once. What personalities in the past had been Bee Miraculous wielders? And how many had to die because of the balance of vitality with death? Every Miraculous has a partner, but the Bee. Why did it have to be death? Couldn't the Bee Miraculous be the partner of flowers or something?"

Adrien chuckled, pulling her tighter into his side and making walking even harder but he didn't care.

"You're getting pretty worked up about this, Mari. It's just the way it is and it's still far away from us. The Bee Miraculous won't be activated during our lifetime, I'm sure, so don't think about it anymore. And there's no way for us to change anything about the Bee Miraculous' partner anyways."

A cold wind blew from behind and Marinette shivered.

"You're probably right, yeah…", she then shrugged and looked up to him again, smiling, "It's most likely okay."

The scar on the inside of her wrist itched but she chose to ignore it.

"Let's get some croissants, sound good?", he proposed and instantly, she had to grin.


	7. Chapter 7

Again, a little later, but again, I couldn't really upload while sitting in the train.  
Anywayyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy.  
Enjoy~

* * *

Alya and Nino arrived at her home and were greeted by an empty apartment.

"Who do we have to get first, Alya? Jazz?"

"Yeah, exactly. Apparently, we'll be getting Amber, too. So, set your bag aside and we'll get going so that we'll be there on time."

He nodded eagerly, bringing his bag to her room and setting it aside the bed, following her to the door again. He practically beamed at her when they exited the building, a bounce to every step he took.

"You're excited to see Jazz, huh?"

"Well yeah, of course! She's the sweetest girl I know. After you, of course.", at that, Alya snorted amusedly.

"She can be a little dragon though, especially in the morning.", the brunette next to him grumbled and he laughed, putting an arm around her shoulders.

"Aww, but I know another person who can be pretty grumpy in the mornings."

"Yeah, talk about Marinette. She's the worst in the mornings, right?", Alya laughed along with him but he just shook his head and prodded the nose of the smaller girl before stealing a small kiss from her.

"Ah, I meant you. C'mon we've had enough sleepovers lately, now that Miss Sancoeur realized Adrien's trying to be a rebellious teenager with a girlfriend and lets him roam around a bit more freely when Mr. Agreste is not around, so I know what I'm talking about."

She huffed but he couldn't miss the smile that stretched over her beautifully shaped lips.

"I guess you do have a point.", she giggled when he put on a grumpy face and imitated what seemed to her like a bear but probably should be her after waking up, "But I don't sound like that, Nino!"

"Oh, you do! Pretty much the most seductive raspy voice directly after opening your eyes.", he smirked, nudging her nose with his as she laughed lightly.

"Oh really? Seductive, huh? Well, how about this?", she tried to go deeper with her voice and imitate hoarseness but failed because she had to laugh even more at the expression he was doing.

"Nothing like that. It's better right after waking up."

"Well, I'm sorry, but I probably won't get any sleep until one in the morning or something.", she waved dismissingly as he shook his head.

"Because your mom is staying out that long again?"

She sighed, nestling deeper into his side to seek some of the warmth that was still left from her apartment.

"Yeah, she has to work late again. Third week in a row. And she's working overtime already! Really, if it wasn't for these meetings Mayor Bourgeois is always setting in the evening mom would be able to return home earlier.", he rubbed her shoulder as they waited for a street light to turn green, "Anyways, maybe next week she'll be able to work the early shift. She said she'll try to speak to her boss."

"That's good.", Nino smiled, taking a step on the street, "But about today, should I stay up late with you? You know I don't mind and maybe you can get a bit of sleep before your mom gets home."

"No, I can't ask something like that from you, Nino! You can't stay at my place until in the middle of the night and then walk home alone! We're in a big city, what if you're being robbed?"

"Or worse, what if I _am_ the robber?", he laughed when she playfully slapped the back of his head.

"That's no joke, man! No, you're going home at a decent time before sunset and I will make sure of that."

"But what if I don't wanna leave?"

"You will as soon as it'll get dark outside."

He chuckled as he took his arm off her shoulders to allow her to go into the building in which the kindergarten was located, opening the doors for him. He thanked her and smirked when she turned to greet a kinder gardener who already nodded because she recognized the teen. She quickly walked into another room to get Jazz, leaving Alya and Nino alone in the lobby.

"I won't leave 'til your mom is home.", he whispered into her ear, earning a huff.

"You wish. I'll kick you out."

"You aren't strong enough to do this. Or willing."

"I sure am. Wanna test that?"

"Certainly!", when she turned to him, fists clenched, he knew she was boiling on the inside but he knew Alya for a few years now and knew how to get things from her. So, he put on his sweetest smile, shrugging.

"You little-…"

"Ninooooo!", suddenly a little voice exclaimed and something with puffy brown hair like Alya's was clinging to his leg, nuzzling his knee.

"Jazz! Hey girl, how are you?", he excitedly picked up the little girl from the ground and held her high up, nuzzling her nose with his.

"I'm good! I had a welly cool day at the kindergawten, I even made a new fwiend and I had so much fwun and I can't wait to tell you ewwything!", she babbled on and on until Nino had managed to put on her shoes and jacket with Alya's help and started walking out the door with her, arching his back to grasp onto her tiny hand in his.

The child smirked and shot Alya a look who was currently packing Jazz's backpack.

"I would keep him if I were you."

The girl was Beet red by the time she followed her friend and her sister out of the door.

* * *

Their next stop was the elementary school where Amber, Ella and Etta went. On the entire way there, Nino had talked to Jazz, holding her hand firmly while bending down but he didn't mind. Even though he neared the 1,90m of height, he enjoyed listening to the little girl and so, it didn't matter to him that his back began to hurt.

Much to his relief she then stated she was tired of walking and he was finally able to scoop her up in his arms and carry her, his back straightened again.

"So high!", she exclaimed laughing and threw her hands into the air, grinning, "Nino is so tall, Alya!"

Her cousin who walked behind them, carrying the tiny backpack, gave two thumbs up and laughed.

"I know, he is really tall!"

"He's taller than you!", Jazz turned to the front again just when Nino came to a halt to wait for a street light to turn green and Alya stood next to them. The boy listened to another story of her little cousin and she smiled to herself, enjoying the sight of the two.

He has always been good with kids, especially the younger ones, Alya remembered. Ever since she had introduced him to her younger twins and cousins, he had been especially fond of Jazz. They both had just clicked and had spent the entire afternoon together, Nino lying next to her on the little baby mat and playing with tiny Jazz by moving the stuffed animals and puppets that had spread across the floor. Jazz had been a few months old back then and Nino had been fifteen, she still had a picture of their first meeting. Marinette had giggled along with her while playing with the five-year-old Amber, and the twins playing with the nine-year-old Geena, taking in the adorable sight of the young DJ and Alya's baby cousin. She had had to watch them a lot ever since her aunt had gotten a new job.

Nino placed a hand on her arm and looked at her questioningly, tearing her out of her thoughts. She smiled up at him and shook her head, signaling everything was okay. He huffed while he still listened to Jazz in his arms but wrapped one arm he detached from the little girl around her shoulders, not pulling her towards him but showing he still worried. Ever since she had watched them more often Alya hadn't had as much time to herself or to spend with her friends as formerly.

She knew Nino had immediately caught on and realized what she had been thinking about again simply because he knew her so well. Or, at least, had gotten to know her better over the past years.

Suddenly, they heard the bell ringing that signaled the end of the classes for Amber's and the twins' elementary school and Nino let go of her.

She pouted internally, wanting him to still hold her, maybe press a kiss to her brown locks-… He seemed to read her mind once again as he leant in, nudging her nose up to press a kiss to her lips. For a moment, Alya couldn't help but lose herself in his kiss but soon, they parted again, not to gross out the twins. They had begun making it a game to yell and push the couple apart whenever they kissed.

She shook her head and smiled again as she saw her little sisters along with her cousin emerging the school building, grinning when they spotted their family and Nino.

Normally the girls walked home by themselves but since Alya and Nino had one afternoon class instead of two and thus could be here for them, she figured they would maybe be happy to see the girls and Nino waiting for them already. Obviously, Amber was boiling of joy, firstly pulling Nino's legs in a tight hug and then let herself be lifted up by her big cousin. The twins then claimed his legs after their cousin and didn't seem willing to let go, pinning Nino on the spot with Jaz still in his arms.

"Hey guys, had a good day at school?", his girlfriend asked, smiling as Amber giggled when she set her down again.

"Yeah, it was pretty great! I got back a test and it's an A again!", Ella excitedly told them, jumping up and down.

"Uh, well done, Ella! Can't wait to tell mom, huh?", she smirked when her cousin grinned and nodded, pulling out her phone, "What do you say, I'll call her right away and you get to tell her your results?"

Her little cousin beamed when they continued their way home and Alya typed in her mom's number, knowing Geena wouldn't join them today. She had remembered the oldest of her younger cousins had went to see a friend after school and would be going home on her own in the evening. Finally, her mother accepted the call.

"Hey mom!"

 _"_ _Alya, nice to hear of you. School's out?"_

"Yeah, I already got Jazz, Amber and the twins. Geena's with a friend, she won't be coming. How are you?"

 _"_ _Now better. Thanks, you're really helping me and your aunt out with this. How are you and the others?"_

"Jazz, Amber and the twins are pretty hyped that Nino's with me. He'll help me babysit today."

 _"_ _Oh, that's just wonderful. How is he? And is it okay with him?"_

"Yeah, he said he didn't want to leave 'til you arrived. You still have to talk him out of that."

 _"_ _I will talk to him. In fact, you can give the phone to him right now, I've got a little time."_

Alya laughed but denied.

"No, first Ella needs to talk to you, mom. She's got great news!"

When she handed her phone down to Ella she met Nino's white face, he probably heard what she proposed to her mother.

"Oh relax, big guy.", she giggled, bopping his nose while Ella excitedly spoke into her phone, "She'll turn a joke out of this because she likes you and is probably glad you wanna stay with me so we won't be home alone."

He chuckled nervously, nodding.

"Haha, well then, I'm relieved."

He felt alive as long as Ella said her mom wanted to speak to him. It was then when he died inside, wanting to hide of fear. Of course, he overreacted but wouldn't anybody else when talking to their girlfriend's mom and fearing she would kick them out of their house forever because she suspected bad behavior? Yeah, he was pretty nervous.

"H-Hello, Mrs. Césaire?"

 _"_ _Hi Nino, nice to speak to you. So, I heard you're gonna stay with my daughters and nieces until I get back from work?"_

He gulped when he heard her stern voice.

"Y-Yeah, I w-was planning to. B-Because I wouldn't want Alya to b-be alone th-that long and her sisters a-and I-… Uh-…"

Alya's mother chuckled and he was gulping, still nervous whenever he spoke to some of the older members of Alya's family. He just really didn't want to do anything wrong.

 _"_ _It's alright Nino, I'm actually glad. It's good to have another person in the apartment along with the girls who I trust. But is that alright with your parents? And are you alright with it? I wouldn't ask you to do that because you'd have to go home alone at 1 in the morning because I don't have the car at the moment…"_

"Oh no, Mrs. Césaire, I'd love to! I-It's alright and my parents w-won't mind if I stay with your d-daughters to make you and them feel safer.", he laughed awkwardly, knowing very well that his father would simply give him a condom and grin, along with his mother. Boy, was he glad he didn't have to crash at home before staying with Alya. That could have been-… Embarrassing, to say the least.

 _"_ _Thank you so very much, Nino. You're an angel sent from heaven today! Oh, I'm so relieved."_

He smiled and looked down to Jazz who was playing with the straps of his jacket.

"It's alright, you're welcome. I don't mind, I'm actually looking forward to it!"

 _"_ _That's good to hear. Oh, and Nino?"_

"Yeah?"

 _"_ _I heard teenagers can do many things that don't include playing video games or talking."_ , he practically heard the smirk in her voice and that's when he turned beet red, _"I just wanted to tell you to keep an eye out for the kids. After all they can be a bit nosy, hm?"_

"W-W-We d-didn't p-p-plan a-any-thing g-g-going in th- _that_ d-d-direction, M-Mrs. C-Césaire.", he stuttered.

When they hung up and the blushing boy handed back the phone to his friend, she couldn't help but grin at his expression.

"She said something suggesting I take it?"

"Y-You say could that-… Uh-… Could say that-…", he avoided her glance and failed to notice her little smile and blush, turning back down to the twins who told them what happened in school that day.


	8. Chapter 8

Yeah I know it's moving slow.  
But eh, nobody will care anyway xD  
Thanks to all the dedicated commenters, you're really helping me continue uploading x)  
Enjoy~

* * *

They arrived in the apartment just a few minutes later in which Nino had called his parents, telling them he would return late and that they shouldn't worry. When they all had gotten rid of their outdoor clothes, the twins and Amber went to their room while Nino raced Jazz into the living room only to playfully lift her up and tickle her exposed belly. When he set her down again she tackled him around his neck and he dramatically fell to the floor.

"Oh no! She got me pinned down! Someone has to help me!"

Alya followed them after she had put on warmer and more comfortable fluffy socks and settled down on the couch while looking at them.

"Nah. I enjoy how my baby cousin is pinning you down."

With that Etta came down the hallway, without her twin sister and Amber, and climbed on top of her big cousin's stomach, falling onto her with her full weight and making Alya forcefully breathe out.

"Kid-… Down-… You've grown! G-Grown, Amber, d-down-…!", she choked before sitting up and gently pushing her into her lap and breathing in, tapping her little cousin on the nose, "Little devil."

Amber just chuckled and ran off, not after accidently kicking Alya's stomach. She heard the door of the twin's room moments later and shook her head, smiling and rubbing her middle.

"That girl really needs to relax.", she said jokingly.

Jazz and Nino had watched the interaction between the two girls, then the little child on top of him worriedly looked down to him.

"I'm not sqwuishing you, am I?"

He laughed and she jumped up and down along with his movements. Alya joined his laughter but the little girl still waited for his answer.

"Jazz, you're too cute. No, you're not squishing me, don't you worry. You're not as big as Amber and I'm a little stronger than Alya is."

Before he knew what was happening Jazz was lifted up and another girl plopped down on him. Because of this unexpected and way heavier person he choked up and coughed.

"Oh yeah? Stronger than me, huh?", he heard his girlfriend's voice and blushed deeply when he glanced up, seeing her on top of him instead of her baby cousin.

"A-Alya?"

"Oh, and don't you dare say I'm heavy."

He suddenly grinned and rolled her off his torso, resulting in a surprised yelp from the girl that was now lying on the floor beneath him, with him on top of her. But being the gentleman he was he only pretended to sit on her, actually kneeling above her.

"I would never.", he smirked when it was her time to blush and once again he noted just how adorable his girlfriend had become. Her reddish-brown hair fanned out around her head like a halo and her pout made her face younger than she actually was. In this moment, she looked so similar to her younger sisters and he had to grin when he leaned down and placed his hands next to her head.

"What, I'm heavy now?", he laughed when she started to breathe faster.

"N-No! You're not actually sitting on me so I can't even tell if you're h-heavy or not. But you probably are, you big baby.", she mocked him despite her being so flustered. But he didn't think of that as any other than embarrassment that he had managed to flip her over. They constantly laid above each other when they were chilling or learning with Adrien and Marinette, somehow during the afternoon and evening it just happened. Normally it started with Adrien and Marinette, the blonde just laying down across her stomach as soon as she lying, being the cat he was. It then was Alya who claimed back her best friend, stealing her shoulder away from him. When Nino joined to rest his head on Marinette's hip the pile was usually complete but it often changed. Sometimes Alya laid on top of him as well, resting her legs on Marinette's. Sometimes they didn't just lay down on Marinette but on Adrien or Nino, too. When the girls wanted to start Marinette especially liked it to lay on top of Alya since she claimed her best friend to be comfortable and soft. There were different ways to build a pile but one thing was always the same. They weren't afraid of body contact.

So, he laughed and slowly lowered some of his weight on her stomach.

"Are you saying I'm fat?"

"Yes!", she tried to push him off of her but as soon as her hands connected with the somewhat firm muscles of his chest she blushed even harder and tried to roll out from him. He was at least proud to have a few muscles from his childhood left in his upper body, due to daily tree climbing with a certain girl, when already having lost his six pack. That's when he smirked and looked up to Jazz who was lying on the couch, eyeing the teenagers suspiciously.

"I've trapped her! What should I do with her?"

Jazz began laughing into both her hands when Etta joined them now, nudging her cousin to look at the two of them.

"Alya has to kiss you!", Etta blurted out and giggled when she saw both her cousin and her friend blushing.

The words of her mother echoed in his head as she grinned smugly, grabbing his cheeks and pulling him down for a kiss, full on the lips, making Jazz and Etta gag loudly and theatrically.

"There! You got your kiss! Now let me go!"

He nodded as if he was in trance and scrambled off of her, giving her the room to join her sister and cousin for a tickling war on the couch which Nino didn't join for now, smiling gently.

Jazz appeared in front of his view with a mischievous grin and showed him one of her dolls while Alya called Ella and Amber to sit down at the table for their homework.

"You have to style her.", she demanded.

He could only nod when she shoved the doll into his hands, along with a tiny hairbrush. Slowly, with each stroke of the brush over plastic hair, he calmed his beating heart and could focus on Jazz again who sat cross legged in front of him, watching as he styled the doll. The result was rather messy because he didn't really have experience with styling and Jazz got the doll back from him in a somehow more uncombed way than before.

She giggled and called him silly, earning an approving look from his girlfriend. He pouted but looked as Jazz combed her hair with quick fingers.

"You're really good at this, huh?"

She looked up at him and beamed.

"I have pwacticed.", she proudly stated.

He smiled and nodded, looking up to Alya sitting on the table while the kids did some of their math homework, to see her scrolling through the Ladyblog to look up what people commented to the newest Akuma attack. It was a few weeks back already and slowly, Adrien and Marinette were getting anxious, as was Nino. He so desperately craved an Akuma attack to prove he meant no harm.

He made a mental note to ask Adrien later what they found out from Master Fu.

"Hey girls, I still need to go shopping. What do you wanna eat?"

"I wanna eat pancakes!", Ella stood up on her chair and beamed at Alya who immediately slammed that proposition down.

"A real meal, Ella."

"What about Pizza!"

A chorus of voices spoke up, all wanting Pizza, as Alya helplessly looked over to Nino. "A little healthier?" she mouthed over to him and he chuckled as he joined her on the table, wrapping his arm around her shoulders to tease her.

"I dunno, I like Pizza.", and the girls got louder while Alya deadpanned.

"I swear to god I will make that pretty mouth of yours _shut up_ when we're alone this evening.", she mumbled, then she took advantage of Nino's blush and kissed his cheek before he could do anything about it. Finally, she spread her arms to make the girls calm down again.

"Hey, okay, settle down. No Pizza. I promised mom to feed you something healthy since I know you girls already had Pizza day in school yesterday."

Nino got over his flustered state and stuttered something out, his hand brushing down Alya's back.

"I-I like ratatouille."

For a moment, all girls remained silent until Jazz spoke up, excitedly throwing herself around is legs.

"I wuv watatuoille, too!"

He laughed and scooped her up in his arms.

"Let's make some ratatouille then!"

* * *

Half an hour later, Alya returned with the ingredients and they started cooking. Nino along with Alya was cutting the vegetables to get them ready while Amber and the twins set the table with Jazz playing on the floor a little. He saw a little hesitation in her movements when she grabbed one of the knives but the next second it was gone. Nino looked around to see her little sisters goofing around with the plates so he turned to Alya and bumped her shoulder with his arm.

"Hey, you alright?"

She was a little startled but smiled and locked their gazes.

"Yeah, why do you ask?"

"Well, knives…?"

"Oh, yeah, that. Marinette said it's okay now. She had had a few fall backs in the last months but she's controlling it. Nothing happened since the great cure so I'm sure everything's fine… I'm just-… I'm still a little skeptical."

Now, Nino was concerned. Neither Adrien nor Marinette had told him anything about fall backs with this cutting thing.

"Fall backs? What do you mean?", he still kept an eye on the girls to make sure they wouldn't notice their conversation. It wasn't something that was meant for children's ears.

"Oh, that's right, you don't know. Sorry, Nino, I guess she was just really afraid, Adrien and I found out by accident, too."

"Alya, what happened?", he set down his knife and looked down at his friend concerned.

"It's not what happened. It's what _almost_ happened. You know, for a few months she was entirely alone with everyone thinking she was a murderer. She started-…", the brunette lowered her voice with a side glance to her siblings, "She started cutting to ease the mental pain. And after doing it so frequently and intense – and I guess it somehow really helped – it's become a habit. Almost like… Like an addiction."

"She's-…", he blurted out but quickly whispered after realizing he accidently had gotten louder, "She's addicted to _cutting_?"

Alya furiously shook her head but pressed together her lips.

"Well, it's-… You don't exactly get over such a heavy depression just like that. Just because a suicide failed and some friends said they love her again. No, this depression is way deeper down. She still has these thoughts about not being enough or not being worthy of love but she's already seeing it differently. You see… Cutting helped her. She had something else on what she could concentrate that wasn't her thoughts on being left alone when she had been loved just a few hours ago. Cutting was a pain she could control because she herself caused it and she desperately needed control over something in her life during that time, so it was cutting and drinking. And she told me she did it on a daily basis after some time. So, she got used and kinda addicted to it. And when she gets thrown back into that thought because of a disappointment or a snappy comment by Chloé or sometimes just like that, she remembers cutting helped her through. Her logical conclusion-…"

"-… Is cutting, then, of course.", he interrupted her and looked down on the knife that was back in his hand.

The girl next to him nodded and started cutting the vegetables again.

"That's why I'm still uneasy around knifes. Because Marinette's still struggling and I can't do anything but try to make her see as often as I can that I deeply regret accusing her of murder and denying our friendship and constantly show her that we love her. I just-… The sight of knives makes me kinda helpless and I can't stand being helpless."

Nino nodded, then placed a quick kiss to her brown hair.

"It's alright. Thank you for telling me. And we'll pull through this together, Marinette won't be alone ever again. We will make sure."

She looked up to him and gave him a bitter smile.

"I sure hope so…"

"We'll manage. We've always managed.", he grinned down at her when suddenly her face turned into a surprised one and she looked down. Jazz clung to her leg and looked up to both of them, having a concerned expression on their faces.

"Alya, awwe you sad?", Jazz said while pouting against Alya's jeans. The brunette just lifted her youngest cousin up and placed her on her hips.

"Well, a little."

"You're crying.", Ella noted from across the room, still busy with setting the table.

"It's just a little tear.", their oldest sister replied assuring.

"Why awwe you sad?"

Alya sighed and bopped Jazz' nose before reaching up and stroking over her hair.

"It's alright. I'm just a little worried about Marinette because she is sad, too, but I'm sure she will be fine in a couple of weeks and Nino is as well. You have nothing to worry about."

Jazz brushed away the tear that slowly made its way down Alya's cheek with clumsy movements but it was the gesture that counted.

"Don't be sad because Marinette's always happy."

"I-… I know, Jazz. It'll be alright, for sure.", she grinned when she set her cousin down again, "And now, are you finished with setting the table, girls? If not, I'll-…"

Alya playfully poked Jazz' side and the little girl jumped away while laughing loudly, the twins joining her giggling.

"Awmost! Awmost I pwomise!"

The girl scrambled away to the table and Alya straightened up again, only to face a concerned Nino.

"What is it?"

"Well, isn't it a little thoughtless to openly tell them you're sad? Shouldn't kids be protected from sadness as far as possible?", she smiled when she turned back to the counter and finished her vegetables to get them into the pan.

"Yeah, most people think so. But just consider, kids are feeling just like teenagers or adults. They notice when someone's sad but contrary to older people they openly ask if the person is feeling a certain emotion. They do it so they can learn to read other people and interpret emotions. If you deny your feelings to protect them, you'll prevent them from learning how other humans function. You have to be honest with kids – most times it doesn't need a reason – so they can grow up to be sensible adults. If you tell them you're happy even though you're really down they'll interpret it wrongly and if they meet someone who tells them he's sad and means it, they'll get unsure and that mostly ends in insecurity towards other people. Simply, because they don't know what the other person is feeling due to overprotectiveness in younger years."

Nino nodded and smiled as he watched Alya scattering a few spices over the gently roasting vegetables.

"That's convincing. But, well, I couldn't know because you already had practice with your sisters and cousins."

"As far as I know you're an older brother, too."

"And a younger one! I was always the fun brother and my older sisters were the babysitter. So, I don't have that much experience with babysitting as you do. Well and now that both my sisters have moved out my younger siblings are too old to babysit.", he grinned as he thought back to his older sister who lived in Lyon along with a few friends to study science and his oldest who had stayed in Paris and was already engaged to her boyfriend of long years.

Etta joined them in the kitchen as Ella and Amber began mock wrestling with Jazz, sometimes letting her win, sometimes tickling her to the floor. Nino reached down to mess up her hair to which Etta whined and hid behind Alya.

"Nooo!"

Nino laughed, making a few mock attempts to get to her again but didn't actually aim for her. She then finally dared stepping out of her cover to lightly slap his butt and run off cackling, causing him to yelp and yell after her.  
"I'll get back at you for that!"

"You gotta get me first!", was her cheeky response.

It took a while for him to catch her and mess up her hair even more before returning to Alya, still laughing and with reddened cheeks.

"She sure takes after you.", he finally panted, arching his back.

"What makes you say that?", she smirked and finished off the meal by turning down the heat.

"She's sassy as hell."

"Oh yes?", she chuckled, turning to him to let her fingers walk up his chest,

After a few moments, she called the girls to get to the table and sit down. They ate together while goofing around and were finally finished after two hours, always someone distracting the others from eating.


	9. Chapter 9

Another chapter. Weee.  
Enjoy~

* * *

For another hour, they cleaned the kitchen and got together for a little game of fighting – which Ella won, of course – before the littlest girl yawned.

"Alright, Jazz, time for bed. Go get ready and I'll read you a story if you want.", Alya clapped her hands and pried Amber off her back as she got up with ease. Jazz all the while crossed her arms and her eyebrows knitted together.

"No."

The oldest girl turned and lifted her eyebrows at her, putting on a stern expression that matched Jazz'.

"Say what?"

"I don't wanna.", the little girl stayed stubborn.

"You're going to bed now, Jazz. You're tired and you need the sleep until your mom will pick you up, no compromise. Understood?"

The girl pouted and sat down on the floor again.

"But I wanna stay up late like Amber, Ella and Etta. Or like Nino and you."

Alya simply shook her head, smiled and stretched out a hand.

"Okay, deal. If you don't yawn within the next five minutes you can stay up late."

Nino lifted his eyebrows now as well and looked at Alya questioningly.

Jazz on the other hand beamed and jumped to take her oldest sister's hand. She immediately after ran to one corner of the room to pull out a toy she wanted to play with. While she did that, Alya leaned down to the older girls, whispering conspiratorially to which her little sisters replied with excitement.

"Girls, code red."

Both twins nodded and while Amber went to go play with Jazz again, Alya laid down on the couch with the twins, stretching. And fake yawning.

"Nino, you comin'? I'm tired, let's lay down…"

He still didn't know what was going on and he had been with the girls for a few times now but that was new. So, he obliged and laid down next to his girlfriend, taking her in his arms, curious as to what would happen next.

Then he noticed Amber yawning, too, right in front of Jazz. Ella started yawning and right after her, Alya did, too. It actually set him off so he had to yawn for real now.

It clicked, when he finally understood. He joined in on playing sleepy and finally, one last try by Amber gave Jazz a little push.

She yawned. Right in the middle of the movement she stopped and realized what she was doing. Alya shot up in a sitting position and pointed to her.

"Ha! I won fair and square, don't you try to deny it! You yawned!"

Jazz quickly shut her mouth and shook her head.

"No…", she tried but Alya cut her off.

"And we're going to bed, young lady. C'mon, I won, it's only fair."

The littlest girl's shoulders slumped and she pouted as she grabbed Alya's hand. She murmured something like "no faiw", but Nino wasn't entirely sure. Just a few moments later her heard Jazz throwing a tantrum again and Alya groaning.

Sighing, he got up and looked at the twins and Amber who looked mildly concerned but didn't move a muscle.

"Is she always like that in the evening?"

Amber shrugged.

"Well, mom manages to put her in bed only with a minor tantrum because Jazz knows she doesn't get through with anger. Mom puts her in bed anyway. Alya's way softer so Jazz thinks she can cry her way out."

Nino nodded and then smiled.

"Maybe I can help. Be right back."

While he walked down the corridor to her room again Wayzz stuck out his head from an inner pocket of Nino's jacket and looked up to him.

"Do you know a way with kids, Wayzz? You've existed for a very long time now, there must be something, right?"

The little green Turtle thought for a moment and then his face lit up.

"Well, you have to make them tired. Lay down next to them and tell them a story so they'll get sleepy. At least most of my wielders did that when they had kids."

Nino nodded and patted his Kwami's head.

"Thanks. I owe you."

The little god hid in his pocket again and Nino entered the room just as Alya put her hands on her hips in front of a screaming Jazz.

"But I don't wanna go to bed and you chweated, that's no faiw! You are a mean cousin, Alya!"

"I'm not mean, I'm just responsible and I know very well that you're tired and need to go to bed, otherwise you wouldn't throw a tantrum! So, be reasonable and go. To. Bed. Already! Or I'll you're your mom!", his crush shot back, crossing her arms.

"No, don't tell mom but I don't wanna go to bed! I'm not tiwed!", more tears fell from Jazz's eyes but before Alya could respond, Nino laid a hand on her arm.

"I'll try, Alya, okay? Go back to Amber and the twins, I'll take care of Jazz."

The brunette nodded hesitatingly and tried a smile but failed, her anger stronger right now.

"Alright. Call me when it doesn't work, alright?"

He nodded and lightly squeezed her hand to which his hand had lowered assuring, turning to Jazz and letting Alya out of the room. He crouched down just as they both heard Alya stomping down the hallway after she closed the door.

Jazz looked at him with big eyes when he faced her again with a disappointed face, pointing to the now closed door.

"You heard that?"

She nodded and he stretched out a hand to pull her towards him and hug her.

"Is-… Is Alya mad at me now?", she asked with a thin voice, muffled by his shirt.

"I don't think she's mad. She's just-… She's angry because she wants to be a good babysitter and you're giving her a hard time."

The little girl pouted as she pulled away and looked at him while playing with a necklace he wore. Alya had gifted it to him on his seventeenth birthday and ironically, it was a little circle with a pattern in it that looked just like a Turtle's shell.

"She's no good babysittew if she wants to put me to bed."

He shook his head and now looked down as well, watching her little fingers playing with his necklace.

"Oh yes she is. Because you need the sleep. I know it sounds very grown up and boring but you're still young and you need much more sleep than we do. And now Alya's angry because she wasn't able to put you in bed like your mother told her to do."

The little girl nodded, then tried to discreetly yawn as she still held her gaze down.

"Tell you what? We'll go to bed together, how does that sound?", he suddenly asked, causing her to look up at him questioningly.

"But you don't wanna go to bed."

"Oh, I want to, I'm tired. So, you want to go to bed with me?"

She nodded excitedly and ran to her little backpack to pull out her pajamas. He got her changed and then laid down next to her on top of the blanket on Alya's bed while she was tugged under, with her little head resting on his arm.

"Comfortable?", he asked and she nodded, already a bit sleepy, "Do you want to hear a story?"

"Yeah. Tell me a fairy tale but you have to make it up.", she demanded. Nino wasn't that good at making up stories of his own but he knew, if he didn't she would never go to sleep. So, he took a deep breath and looked up at the poster of Ladybug that hung over Alya's bed.

"Well… There was a princess once. And that princess didn't want to be married off to some meanie of a prince, like her father, the king, wanted her to. He wanted her to marry this guy because he had much money and the king loved his daughter very dearly and only wanted the best for her. But he didn't see how much of a meanie this prince was. Because of that, she asked her maiden to take her place and lock her room so that the princess could take a turn in the fights of the festival that was being held by her father to celebrate the engagement of his daughter."

"Wha was the pincess' name?", Jazz murmured, burying her nose in his shirt.

"Her name was, uh… Her name was Maren. And her maiden's name was Alina. And the meanie she was engaged to was named Félix. But she didn't want to marry him, so she took part in the fights to have enough money to flee. And she did just that. When her father asked for her, her maiden would answer that she was safely in her room. However, Maren attended the festival and was getting known as the knight Lord Ladybug, because she had a special connection to Ladybugs. They were a strong symbol or luck for her."

"Just like our Ladybug?"

"Yeah, like our Ladybug. And Maren was a hero, too! She was able to flee along with her maiden Alina and they were not seen since that day. The wedding was cancelled and the meanie of a prince Félix was not married to her. And you know what happened someday?"

The girl shook her head, too tired to answer anymore.

"Maren and her maiden Alina, who was known as the Lord of, uh-… Foxenshire and also known as a knight, saved two bards from robbery. They got off their horses and helped up the poor men whose names were Charles and his faithful companion Jaden and Maren under her helmet instantly fell in love with Charles while Alina fell in love with Jaden, too. They stayed together because Maren and Alina wanted to protect these two and so they accompanied them until they got to another kingdom. There, Charles admitted that he was the prince of that kingdom and that his real name was Aiden. He had wanted to have an adventure because he had been overprotected by his father, the king who ruled there. And Maren admitted that she was not a man and Aiden fell in love with her as well. At that same time, Alina revealed herself to Jaden, whose real name was Niro and he was a servant and best friend to Aiden, and so they lived happily ever after because they all kissed and then, later, married with the blessings of their fathers."

"Ew, no kisses…", Jazz murmured, already breathing deeper, almost asleep.

"Well then, hugs. They hugged every single day and told each other how much they loved each other. Is that better?"

The girl didn't answer anymore. She was fast asleep.

Nino grinned and gently removed her hand from his shirt and laid down her head on her pillow. She didn't even flinch when he left the room, not without leaving a goodnight's kiss on her forehead.

When he got back to the living room, Alya laid on the couch with Amber sitting beside her. The twins were in their room, probably packing their things for school the next day.

"Hey, are you alright?"

Alya shrugged and Amber shook her head, gently patting her cousin's back. Nino nodded and sat in front of the couch as well, softly stroking Alya's arm.

"Jazz is asleep, Alya."

The brunette just nodded and Amber gestured for him to follow her. He smiled, not after throwing a last glance to his girlfriend who still buried her head in the cushions.

"So, what did you want to talk to me about?", he asked as soon as they were in the bathroom and had closed the door.

"I wanted to tell you that I'll be in the twin's room now.", she grabbed a toothbrush Alya had prepared for her, somehow seeming more mature for her age, "Try to cheer Alya up a little. She often struggles with Jazz, we all do. She's a little stubborn. Today was still not so bad."

He sat down on the floor when Amber kneeled in front of him, laying a hand on his knee and holding the toothbrush with a bit of toothpaste in the other.

"Alya is just tired, I think. Go watch a movie with her or something. Then she can relax and you can cuddle."

He grinned and laid a hand on her brown hair that was so similar to her sisters and cousins. This family definitely had a significant look, coming from Martinique and all.

"Thanks, Amber. I owe you.", he smiled and stood up again, leaving the girl to brush her teeth, "And don't stay up too late!"

He walked back into the living room and saw Alya sitting up again, looking at her phone. She wasn't one to mope around for very long so when he had told her Jazz was asleep she had probably already caught herself.

"Hey, what you doing?", he asked casually while flopping down next to her and leaning back.

"Checking the Ladyblog and texting with Mari. No biggie."

He nodded and closed his eyes.

"Well what's Marinette saying? More girl stuff?"

Alya somehow tensed.

"No, she's worrying. That Turtle guy is creeping around in her head more than I'd have thought. Even more than kissing Adrien if that's even possible."

He bolted to sit upright again and looked at her as if she'd just grown a third arm somewhere.

"Wait, thinking more about him than kissing Adrien? Is that legal?"

The brunette giggled and shoved his face away so he had to laugh.

"Stop trying to be funny, dork.", she shook her head at his attempts to look serious and then turned back to her phone, "What worries me the most is that nobody but Ladybug and Chat have seen this Turtle guy since their first meeting. I mean, yeah, Mari and Adrien went to see Master Fu and he told them it was perfectly fine but still. I can't trust someone I haven't seen before."

And it was then that Nino understood how hard and amusing at the same time it must've been for Marinette and Adrien to keep their identities a secret for such a long time. Everyone had been talking about their superhero personas and Alya had even spent whole nights talking to her best friend about her theories who was under that Ladybug patterned mask. Marinette must've either felt super bad for lying to her best friend and at the same time really amused by her far-fetched theories when Ladybug was sitting right in the same room with her.

He grinned to himself and watched Alya as she continued to scroll down on her phone.

He really had it bad.

With a quick movement he scooted closer and kissed her cheek, successfully distracting her from her phone. She smirked at him before kissing his lips, nudging him back to lie on the couch with his back, her above him. That was one very pleasant side effect of having everything back to normal again. Nino had felt like they had gotten together a little rushed, just after one kiss on the battlefield, right after she had saved him from suffocating in that bronze orb. And after that they hadn't had as much time establishing their relationship since, well, fighting Hawkmoth had been a priority then. Now that they had had all the time to get to know each other in their relationship and that different side of each other, they had gotten way more comfortable. And considerably less nervous.

Nino almost chuckled when he thought abut how nervous he had been getting around her back then, a few months ago, when she had tried initiating a kiss.

She adjusted and slipped her knees down, lying down on top of him and snuggling closer, her lips moving slower now. Of course, she didn't want to get too heated. After all, the twins and Amber could return every second, or Jazz could wake up again. Nino tightly locked his arms around her, not minding in the slightest that their kiss stayed chaste for now.

Sometimes, it was better like that. Of course, they'd had a bit more by now, but sometimes he liked to appreciate having her close, especially after everything that had happened.

She seemed to read his thoughts as she leant to one side, against the backrest, and let one hand come down to his chest, lightly brushing over his scar that he still carried. Immediately, one of his hands joined hers, placed above hers and pressing her fingers closer. She caressed his cheek with her other hand and placed another kiss on his lips before resting her nose on his cheek and her forehead on his, quietly mumbling reassuring phrases, as she always did when he felt unsure.

"I'm here, Nino… It won't happen again… You're safe…"

At that moment, the urge to tell her that he'd be throwing himself in the middle of the battle from now on was almost unbearable. The memories started resurfacing and he kept her tightly against him, his eyes squinted and his mind focused on the gentle pressure her fingers applied on his chest.

"… I'm safe…", he repeated, "… You're here…"

She nodded and kissed him again, before burying her face on his neck.

"You're safe…"

They remained like this for a moment, until Nino spoke up again, his breath calmed down and his voice steady.

"Hey Alya?"

"Yeah?", she whispered against his neck, pressing a little kiss to his skin.

"Wanna watch a movie? Y'know, to calm down a bit and kinda bring the day to an end?"

Alya softly nodded, jumping up and walking to the cupboard that held all their movies, closely followed by Nino.

They both needed a bit to find a few movies they wanted to watch, even though the boy mostly watched the profile of her concentrated face. He would watch any movie with her that she wanted.

Finally, she beamed and reached up to pull out a movie from the highest shelf. But even though she was taller than a few of their classmates she couldn't reach it.

"So, short stuff?", he chuckled and earned a slap into his stomach.

"I'm gonna get it, just-… You wait…"

He now laughed and reached up as well, grabbing the movie with ease. He was ready to rub it into her face when he looked down again but found himself swallowing his teasing.


	10. Chapter 10

Another chapter.  
Not like anyone would care hahah  
Enjoy anyway~

* * *

They were close. Like, really close. He hadn't even felt how her back had pressed into his chest when he had stood behind her and reached for the movie. She must've turned to him while he had been distracted so now, as he looked down, their noses almost touched.

She looked so damn kissable right now. He felt himself falling all over again.

Yes, he had stolen that word from Adrien's stories of how he had kissed Marinette on that roof a few months prior. But it seemed to be the only word that fitted her look right now. Her cheeks were slightly flushed and heated up so he could feel the temperature radiating beneath him. Her eyes were half lidded so she practically looked at him through her lashes.

And her lips…

A breath of strawberry from her lipstick filled his senses, like during their kiss before. Her lips were so fascinating he found he wasn't even captivated by her hazel eyes anymore. They were slightly parted and looked like petals from a freshly plucked pink rose, making his vision get blurry.

 _And I said Adrien was poetic, my ass_ , he thought to himself when his eyes fluttered close and he leant in without thinking any further about it.

They kissed again but this time, it felt different. Not teasing or reassuring, it felt like their first.

He found he had felt that a lot ever since their real first kiss. Maybe because their first kiss hadn't been as much a "first" as he had liked to imagine.

"I'm thiwsty, Alya.", the thin voice of her littlest sister parted them and he quickly scrambled a step back, looking out the window and sunddenly taking a deep interest in the illuminated windows across the street.

Alya got away from the cupboard and he heard her talking to Jazz in the kitchen, so he made his way over to the couch and sat down after placing the movie on top of the DVD-player. Jazz tiredly talked about something she'd thought she saw and Nino took a deep breath. The brunette boy then looked down to his hands in his lap to play with his fingers as he saw his next problem.

 _Fuck._

Mere seconds later, a pillow was discreetly placed on his lap and he grinned at his crush who came back into the room with a very sleepy Jazz in her arms.

"I'm putting her to bed again, okay Nino?"

He smiled and nodded and as soon as she was down the corridor, his cheeks heated up.

 _Oh, please no…_

So, he quickly set up the movie and got it to the main menu before Alya was back again, already sitting on the couch with the pillow conveniently placed on his lap.

"Can we get started?", she asked, somehow flustered. Had Jazz seen something? No, she shouldn't be able to tell he had… No, she was way too young for that. But what if-…?

Nino decided to just confirm Alya's question in grinning like an idiot and pressing start. It didn't exactly help that about five minutes into the movie, Alya lifted his arms, laid down her head on the pillow in his lap and started breathing slower.

He blushed deeply and carefully laid down his arms on her shoulder, smiling as he did so.

"Is this comfortable?", he asked and she hummed approvingly, "I'm glad."

He chuckled when she took one of his hands, pulled it in front of her and started playing with his fingers.

"Since when do you wear that kind of bracelets? I thought you were that kind of guy only wearing concert bracelets.", she suddenly asked, lightly touching his Miraculous. Sweat formed on his forehead, but he shrugged and played it off.

"Eh, I found it in some box in my room and found it looked kinda cool so I put it on out of fun. It kinda stuck with me for a few days now."

 _Smooth, Nino_ , he thought with a smirk.

"Ah, well okay. Can I put it on?"

He shot a helpless glance down to his Kwami who had made himself comfortable on the backrest of the couch where Alya couldn't see him but he shrugged and gestured for her to take it. Nino smiled and then responded.

"Yeah, sure, why not?"

She softly took it off and Wayzz grinned reassuringly. When she put it on and looked at it for a few seconds, she hummed and slid it off again. Nino took it back, hiding a little relieved sigh.

"Not exactly my style.", she murmured and he smiled because her statement held so much more than she'd ever imagine.

"Then I'll just keep wearing it. I think it's quite cool."

"On you, yeah.", she turned and looked up to him.

Nino laughed quietly and gently rubbed her shoulder while she went back to watch the movie. But he couldn't take his eyes off her. Her hair flowed down her shoulders and looked soft and silky, especially the fluffy locks behind her ear that were not visible when she was standing. He hesitatingly reached out to touch them, stroking one finger over the soft fluffiness, which resulted in an appreciative moan from the girl in his lap.

"Mh, that feels good.", she hummed, making him feel giddy inside, "Please don't stop."

"Nah, of course not.", he grinned and continued to softly play with the soft, young hair behind her ear. It felt so good, so smooth, all Nino wanted was to place a kiss right there. So he leant forward and did just that, grinning at Alya's slight giggle.

Ironically, he remembered how he had done that with Marinette, too, even though she had a boyfriend now. Because Marinette, as well as Adrien, knew how close Nino was to the girl. They had grown up together since they had been able tiny babies because their parents had known each other since before and their mothers had gotten really good friends because of various reasons.

They had shared their pacifiers when they had been little and had tried to eat sand together. They had learned everything together and had stayed in the same schools and the same classes ever since which had led them to a very strong friendship.

When he was able to break away his eyes from her hair and inspected her profile, he noticed she was fast asleep. With a grin, he waited until the movie was finished and while the end credits rolled, he gently lifted the pillow with her upper body on it to stand up and softly lay her down again. He then went to make sure everything was neatly cleaned in the kitchen.

With a glance to the clock he noticed that her aunt must already be on the way here so he passed her sleeping form one more time when he walked down the corridor and into her room to make sure Jazz was still sleeping. When he knocked on the door of the twin's room they opened and he signaled Amber to pack her things and get ready.

The door bell rang and he quickly pressed the unlock button before talking into the speaker that he would bring Amber and Jazz down to their mom. A friendly voice of a woman answered that she'd wait, making him smile.

"Alright, just a moment!"

It didn't take long to make Amber tie her shoes and carry both her stuff and Jazz' as he cradled the small, sleeping girl close and walked down the stairs with them, meeting Alya's aunt downstairs.

"Hello, Nino.", the woman greeted him and smiled, softly taking her daughter from his arms.

"Alya is still upstairs.", he explained, helping her maneuver the small girl into the car that just parked outside, "Jazz has been sleeping for around two hours now, and we had ratatouille for dinner."

Alya's aunt nodded and placed a hand on his shoulder, gratefully smiling.

"Thank you both. My wife and I really owe you."

"Not a thing.", he replied, shrugging it off, "It's okay, really. Jazz didn't make any problems."

He waved after the car and then went back upstairs again, meeting the twins on their way to the bathroom.

"We're going to sleep now. Is Alya okay?", Ella asked and he nodded.

"She's fine and sleeping. I'll get her to bed. Sleep well, girls!"

Both suddenly hugged his middle, unable to reach higher because he was way taller than them.

"Thank you for coming! We love you! And sleep well, too, Nino."

"Not a problem.", he stroked both their hair and then let them close the door of the bathroom to get ready for the night.

Carrying Alya was harder than he imagined. She curled up against his body and it was not that she was heavy but he had sworn the doorframe had been a bit bigger when he had walked through alone. He only was able to get through the door by holding his breath and slowly wiggling through it sideways. When he finally laid her down in her bed he sat on the edge and breathed in and out.

"I really need to exercise more… Thank goodness I got you, Wayzz."

His little Kwami stuck his head out of Nino's jacket, forcing himself not to laugh.

"That was really graceful, my boy."

"Hey, it's not my fault that French architects really liked small doorframes. I mean look at this! It's barely enough for one grown man!", he whispered, careful not to wake Alya.

"You don't consider yourself as a grown man, do you, kiddo?"

"Uh, well-… The doorframe's really small. End of discussion."

Wayzz giggled and then yawned, snuggling back inside the pocket.

"Yeah, yeah, you keep telling that to yourself.", he murmured out of the pocket, already getting ready to sleep.

Nino smiled and rolled his eyes before turning back to his sleeping girlfriend. Her jeans looked uncomfortable. The brunette boy had always wondered why girls had to wear such clothes when they could just have the same comfort as boys but he figured they wanted to.

So, praying she wouldn't wake up, he bit his lip, looked at his watch and sighed. Two hours until her mother was supposed to arrive. He did his best to suppress the upcoming blush and slowly opened the button on her jeans.

 _Just get her comfortable, that's all you want, you don't want to stare while she's awake and you're undressing her, focus Nino… Focus! She's your girlfriend and you did that before._

He undid her zipper and pulled down her jeans, careful to not pull down anything else.

When her jeans were on the floor he was quick to pull the blanket over her lower half. Then, finally, he could relax. She was comfortable and he had been able to not even take a look, even though his face burned like it was on fire. Well, he had seen her shirtless before, that wasn't the problem. He had also seen her without jeans. But she was sleeping and he didn't feel right to undress her while he didn't have her full consent.

Softly smiling he pulled the blanket up to her shoulders, before noticing the bra strip that slightly peeked out under her shirt. It must've come loose and slipped down.

Nino rolled his eyes when a memory overcame his mind. Alya as well as Marinette had repeatedly complained about having fallen asleep with their bra's when they had started wearing them. Of course, the first time he had witnessed that had been with Marinette. She had started wearing them a little later than the other girls in class because she was so tiny and accidently had fallen asleep with it a few times in the beginning. She had always complained about her aching back where the straps had dug into her skin. It was the same with Alya, a few years later, when they had had their first sleepover, back in tenth grade.

Alya had fallen asleep with her bra and had complained the next morning. He had felt bad for not noticing even though it would've been pretty weird for him as a teenager in puberty to tell his crush that she was still wearing her bra and that she should take it off for sleeping. And, well, he didn't notice because he hadn't looked _there_ , being the well-behaved boy he was.

So, he clenched his teeth and slowly let his hands slide underneath her shirt, trying to touch as little skin as possible. But then, the shock chilled his bones and he paled.

The bra clasp was not on the back. He gulped and pulled his hands out of her shirt.

 _Goddamnit. I know that bra._

He just wanted her to lay comfortably and not wake up with the pain of having slept with her bra on. Nino bit his lip and stared down at his girlfriend's sleeping form.

 _Should I wake her up? Should I leave her like this? Why did the bra clasp have to be at the front, why today?!_

He brought his hands up to his hair and stood up, beginning to quietly pace around.

 _What should I do, what should I do…? Should I dare? Should I leave her like this? But she always complained when she had slept with her bra on. What should I do?! Also, I'm her boyfriend but she didn't give me her permission but I just want her to sleep comfortably but-…_

He sighed.

Finally, he reached a conclusion. He would take off her bra and not touch anything he was not supposed to touch and he wouldn't even look. And when she was awake, he would tell her and he would admit that he just wanted the best for her and not grope or anything. And then she would hate him, slap him and ignore him.

He clenched his teeth.

 _C'mon Nino. It's alright. She's your girlfriend, she won't hate you for wanting the best for her. Also, you've seen and felt her shirtless before, she sure won't mind._

So, he climbed back onto the bed to Alya who was still asleep. Nino slowly lifted the hem of her shirt and brought his hands beneath, trying not to pull too much and wake her. It would be a really awkward position that would surely get him a slap from her. Pretty sure. Even if she was his girlfriend.

Okay, she would probably just smirk sleepily and try to start something before falling asleep again, as he knew her.

His fingers finally found the magnets in front of the bra and he quickly pulled them apart. He accidently brushed her skin and his cheeks flamed up. Eventually, he pulled out his hands from under her shirt and then proceeded to get her straps down her shoulders from under her shirt. The last move was to take her bra from her. He gently took the bra from her back and lifted her upper body a bit, to not wake her. Finally, _finally_ the bra was out of her shirt and he sighed when it was in his hands hanging freely.

Just now he noticed his hands were sweaty and cold and he hoped he did not disturb Alya's sleep by accidently touching her with his icy fingers.

After her clothes were neatly folded and placed upon her desk, the bra hiding underneath her jeans, he smiled and gave her a quick peck on the forehead which resulted in a low moan from her side. Her eyebrows relaxed and she even grinned back a bit.

Nino then turned and wanted to leave to sleep on the couch but a huff from her side made him hesitate. She had scolded him before for going to sleep in another room, and he knew she loved sleeping next to him.

After a minute of contemplating he finally rolled his eyes and exchanged his jeans for a pair of her jogging pants before snuggling himself beneath the blanket behind her, wrapping his arms around her and kissing her neck.

Before he knew it, he fell asleep pretty fast as well.

* * *

When Marlena came home, the apartment was dark and silent. She smiled to herself as she checked the twins' bedroom and saw both her little girls sleeping soundly. She then went over to make sure her second daughter was okay as well but as she entered the room she was a little startled to see Nino still here, lying in bed with her daughter, spooning her tightly. With a small smirk, she pressed a goodnight kiss to both her daughter's, as well as the boy's forehead, and took a step back with a small chuckle. Nino huffed lightly and pulled Alya closer in his sleep, only for her to smile and subconsciously place a hand on his elbow, seemingly soothing him.

Marlena smiled to herself before snapping a photo and sending it to Amélie, Nino's mother, to tell her that her son wouldn't be getting home today.

She received a laughing smiley back, just as the door clicked again, telling her that her husband had arrived home.


	11. Chapter 11

I been getting complaints so I deleted a bit and ended the former chapter the way it's now.  
Well, last chapter I got on reserve, let's see.  
It might be possible that I'll miss the next few upload dates on my schedule.  
Not like anyone would care a lot but thought I'd say it just in case.  
Enjoy~

* * *

"So, Carapace.", Ladybug grinned. He could tell she had thought about him a lot before even doing so much as smiling, "What's your superpower?"

Chat propped himself up on Ladybug's shoulder, leaning around her and let his eyes wander up and down the other boy's body, smirking.

"I'd say it's got something to do with a shield. Maybe protecting. Or time? I mean, Turtles are super slow, maybe you can slow down time."

Carapace laughed, shaking his head as he turned away from the sunset, leaning back a little more.

"Turtles can actually be pretty fast and no, my power has nothing to do with time, sorry to disappoint you. But it's a shield, yeah.", he pulled the shield from his back and got to his feet, positioning himself next to the other two, turning away so he could show them safely. Behind him, he heard Ladybug getting to her feet and peering around him to see what he was doing. He smiled and slid his arm into the given holders, grabbing the steady handle that was installed on the inside.

"So, according to Master Fu, my superpower works a little like Chat's cataclysm or Lucky Charm."

Chat stood as well, accompanying Ladybug behind the new superhero.

"But I thought you could do a shield?", he questioned and Carapace chuckled.

"Yep. It just morphs into what I need at that moment. For example, the shield could expand to a ball around me to keep me safe or it could create kinda like force shields, shielding someone or something that I want to protect. I can make it as big as I want, I think, and it's gonna last as long as I want or until I detransform."

Chat already laughed.

"Sooooo, it could just turn into a ball and you'd have to stay in there until you detransform?", he cackled as Carapace half turned to him, shooting him a deadpanning look.

"Sure, because that's how protection works. No, I can still kind of decide what to do with it. Like, you can choose to destroy something by turning it into ash but you can also choose to just stop making it function, like a short circuit for an electronic device."

Ladybug gave Chat a light smack on the back of his head, then she turned to Carapace again.  
"Could you show us?"

He nodded, smirking at Chat who rubbed his head with a pout, then he widened his stance.

" _Shellter_!", he exclaimed and the pattern of his shield began to glow. A wall of light emerged from the shield and expanded, faster and faster, until it touched down all around the three heroes on the roof, creating a dome in which a soft humming noise could be heard. Carapace allowed himself to relax and looked up at the swirling lightly cyan shield, grinning.

"Cool…", he breathed, then lowered his gaze again to knock against the surface. His hand went right through.

Ladybug stepped next to him, tilting her head at his hand that was outside now.

"And now?"

He laughed, bending his hand to knock against the shield from the outside. It sounded like glass this time, echoing through the dome.

"I think the shield is letting those from the inside through. Or maybe us as the superheroes? I dunno yet, but it's worth trying out."

"Could also be that the Miraculous is letting people with a Miraculous through. Or maybe it's the same with Chat's cataclysm, you can choose who gets to pass and who doesn't."

Carapace shrugged, pulling his hand back in without a hindrance.

"I dunno, maybe."

Ladybug smirked as she looked over to Chat who stared at the shield with wide eyes, already giggling to herself.

"Well, we could find out. Cara, try to concentrate on not letting anybody in or out!"

He smirked as well and concentrated on hardening the shield in his mind, then Ladybug pounced on Chat and pushed him out. Their partner stumbled right out of the shield, looking at them indignantly.

"What? Oh come on guys! You could've hurt me with that, bugaboo!", he whined and his voice sounded muffled due to the shield and Ladybug giggled louder.

"Poor kitty. Now come in again – if you can."

Carapace stepped next to her, snorting as Chat stepped into the dome again.

"So, I can apparently not influence a shield that's already been created. Maybe if I create a new one and concentrate on it."

"Or my theory with the Miraculous was right, that the shield lets through Miraculous wielders but not civilians.", she theorized, soothing Chat by going up on her tiptoes and pressing a chaste kiss to his cheek. His face immediately softened and he wrapped an arm around her waist to steady her. Carapace bit his lip and looked away as he whispered something in her ear, feeling jealousy bubbling up in his chest.

He knew he wasn't allowed to tell Alya, even if he wanted to. Master Fu had said that he needed to gain their trust first. And it was never good to have civilians know their identity, that had been proven time and time again while he had still been one but had known Marinette's and Adrien's secret.

It made them way too close to the action, way too easy to target. Even if they could be helpful. But Hawkmoth knew who Ladybug was and they had been there fighting with him when they had restored the Ladybug Miraculous.

Over the summer the Akumas had always found a way of involving Nino and Alya and it was honestly getting dangerous. Nino was just glad to have a Miraculous himself now.

Like this he could keep himself and, more importantly, Alya safe.

A small smile snuck on his lips as he watched the swirling cyan in front of him. He'd be able to keep her safe. But really this time, by not letting her take the cat Miraculous again, by not letting her run right into the action anymore and by being able to take a hit for her. He lifted his hand and watched his fingers going through the shield, the lightly cyan wall of light caressing his features but not letting him feel anything. He hummed to himself, pulling his hand back again as a beeping sounded from his wrist. He watched one part of the shell becoming dark green like the bracelet underneath the symbol, one part of five.

"Looks like you need to recharge, hm?", Chat's voice broke through to him and Carapace lifted his head, smiling at the other hero.

"Yeah, looks like it. Well, I still got a few minutes.", he replied, then he cast his gaze down again and the small smile reappeared on his lips.

"Ooh, I know that look.", Ladybug teased, coming closer, "You got someone special, Cara?"

The boy met her gaze and grinned, nodding proudly.

"The prettiest girl in the whole world. I just-… I guess I gotta readjust with her and-… And this…", he gestured up and down his suit, shrugging. Ladybug placed a hand on his shoulder, smiling at him with a wink.

"It's gonna be okay, trust me."

Carapace snorted, gesturing between Chat and her.

"Well, you guys got it lucky, you're both superheroes. Even if that has its downsides, too, I guess… But still. I don't know how to juggle real life and this here yet and I haven't even fought against an Akuma.", he hung his head and added in his mind that he had at least not fought an Akuma in the suit yet. It would've probably been a dead giveaway to tell his friends, though.

"Yeah… I get you… Well, we've kept our identities a secret for years, too, and we got through it. Of course, it's not easy at first but believe me, Carapace. You're gonna be able to get through it, just as we were."

Ladybug leant her head back and watched as the shield disintegrated to air as he pushed a button on the inside of the shield, then he smiled and nodded, placing the shield on his back again to have both his hands free.

"I guess so, yes… So, guys, I have four minutes left. I'll go home now. Uhm-… See you tomorrow for patrol?"

Suddenly, Chat smirked very smugly and leant on Ladybug's shoulder again, wiggling with his eyebrows.

"Oh no, Cara. We've – or better, I – got something else to do for you. We actually talked to Master Fu and he said you have to train to be the guardian of the Miraculous. We know you're already taking lessons with Master Fu-"

"And we also know when so we won't come barging in while you're not in suit.", Ladybug briefly interrupted, earning a short nod from Chat before he resumed.

"But we thought we'd give it a shot as well and train you to be more in sync with us as well. After all we're a team now! So, Carapace, you interested in a few hours training with me tomorrow? Bug here can't come, she's busy with a project of hers."

Ladybug elbowed him in the side and even if it was meant loving, Chat faltered a little, wheezing slightly. Carapace chuckled at his best friend.

"Yeah, sure. I'd love to train with you guys, it can only help. So, uh, tomorrow afternoon? Around five, maybe?"

Chat nodded and gave him a thumb up, his tail swishing behind him excitedly.

"Absolutely! Don't you worry, Cara, I will properly prepare you to die in honor."

Carapace stilled and stared at Chat who still grinned at him, then he slowly squinted his eyes.

"Aaaaaaalright. I think you watch too much Anime, bro. Anyway, I'm out, I need to be home soon anyway. See you tomorrow, then, Chat! Bye, Ladybug!"

He just merely saw Ladybug turning to her boyfriend as he already took off, ripping the shield underneath his feet to glide over to the next building and start running from there. It wasn't far to his home but he still wanted to be careful so he took the longer way, just to be sure that nobody saw him.

But just as he was about to turn back, though, to get to his own house, he realized where he was. Across the street he saw a very familiar illuminated room, behind a big glass front and a balcony in the highest level of the house, under the roof. He hesitated, crouching down as his girlfriend stepped into her room, not looking out of the window but just strolling over to her laptop, sitting down on her desk and clicking a few times before beginning to type. She probably just came from tucking the twins in bed. The second beeping sound lightly startled him and he flinched, the movement in the semi shade from the street lights below attracting Alya's attention. Her head turned and he froze, their eyes locking together. For a moment, nothing happened.

He didn't even see her reaching for her phone, either to film him because he could be an Akuma or because she wanted to meet the new team member. They just looked at each other and he could've lost himself in her eyes but the third beep ripped him out of the trance.

Alya tilted her head as he stood up, now her fingers searching for her phone that she had thoughtlessly tossed next to her keyboard. He grinned and gave her a little greeting with two fingers to his forehead, then he winked and scrambled off.

Her surprised expression when the boy vanished into the dark, only faintly showing his silhouette over the dimly lit sky from the city lights was priceless and Nino chuckled to himself before sighing.

He wouldn't be able to tell her. He couldn't.

Well, he could, but-… Fu had been right to say that Nino wanted his team to trust him before revealing his identity. Plus-… It was probably better to keep his family out of this for as long as possible.

He had seen how alert Marinette had always been during an Akuma attack, exactly knowing that Hawkmoth could attack them at any time. And just like Alya and Nino, the Akumas had sometimes decided to take hostages to get where they wanted.

Marinette blamed herself for this. Even at her friend's and parents' begging to listen, to understand that she wasn't at fault, Nino saw how it crushed her. How it weighed down on her.

And everytime one of her parents or friends had been captured, he saw it in her eyes how scared she was. How dangerous it was for her to fall back into the past, to break under what she had to go through once more when she saw in how much danger she had brought her loved ones.

They were just lucky Hawkmoth hadn't done anything in his civilian form yet.

As bad as it was that he was so intelligent, this was to their advantage. He wasn't stupid enough to try and harm Marinette or her family and friends as a civilian.

At least.

After a short run he finally reached his own home, his heart still racing from meeting his girlfriend in the suit. Well, he hadn't met her, really. But she had finally seen him fully. He asked himself if she would be quick enough to figure him out, too, as she had figured out Adrien and Marinette as well.

And even if his heart longed for her to know, he hoped it would take her a long time. Maybe even not at all, until he revealed his identity to his friends.

He crouched down on the roof of his house, carefully glancing over the edge to see that the street was empty. He praised his parents under his breath for choosing such a quiet street to have their home, then he carefully dropped down from the roof, using his shield beneath him as a puffer. Safely and quietly he set foot on his windowsill and checked his room. The air was clear so he opened his unlocked window and slid inside, clipping his shield to his back again.

" _Wayzz, shields down._ ", he whispered as the fourth beep sounded, leaving him with one more part of the shell right before he detransformed.

The little Kwami flew out of his bracelet and Nino scrambled to catch him, securely cupping both his hands around the green god.

"Hey there, buddy.", Nino grinned as Wayzz blinked at him, then he let his little friend down on the pillow on his desk and pulled the bowl of sunflower seeds closer, handing the little Kwami one.

"Thank you, Master Nino.", Wayzz smiled at him, leaning back against the pillow as Nino snorted.

"Dude, you know you don't have to call me master."

His Kwami merely shrugged it off, lazily waving a paw at him.

"Sure, sure.", he replied and Nino rolled his eyes, pushing his desk chair closer to start up his computer. On the screen a picture of the Squad lit up, a picture that they had taken over the summer.

Marinette looked way better already. She had gained a bit of weight after this torture and she had already found back to trusting them a little more. Her eyes still weren't really there in the picture, she was just a little too thoughtful and drawn back, but she had tried so hard to get back to her former self after they had restored her Miraculous. Tikki and Adrien had massively helped by getting her back on track and Alya and Nino had been there for her the whole way. By now, it almost seemed like the old Marinette was back, even if she sometimes had backlashes.

But whenever something like this happened she knew she could trust her parents and her friends to be there for her. She knew she wasn't alone anymore and that was probably why Nino loved this picture so much.

He smiled and typed in his code, then got to the desktop.

A picture of Alya and himself showed, one Marinette had taken without them noticing. They had sat on Alya's bed, both with crossed legs and their knees touching. It had been a sleepover, as Nino recalled, because they had both been in their pajamas.

Their foreheads had leant against each other and they had listened to a new track Nino had mixed, Alya looking down at his phone with a relaxed expression, Nino looking at her, cupping her hands that held his phone on which the earphones were plucked in, scrolling through the pictures in his gallery.

He remembered that she had found something embarrassing just moments after this photo had been snapped, some drunk selfie he had taken at some point after turning sixteen, between all the photos of his family, vacations and his DJing stuff.

She had giggled so adorably as he had scrambled to get the phone from her, falling back and coaxing him to fall with her. He had blushed when he had found himself on top of her and she had laughed, kissing him softly before Adrien had groaned, telling them to get a room.

Nino smirked at the memory, his lips still tingling as he thought back to it.

"What are you smiling about, young master?", Wayzz asked softly, shifting on his pillow to be able to look at his wielder. The boy chuckled and leant back, still looking at his screen.

"Oh, just-… Realizing how lucky I am to have a girl like Alya."

* * *

"Widen your stance, Carapace.", Chat instructed while walking around him, nodding slightly as Carapace followed his advice, "With a good stance you can't be brought out of balance so easily. Like this you'll be able to have a better defense."

He did his best not to look at his teammate, knowing exactly that Adrien normally should've been at home practicing the piano instead of standing in the stadium with him, training him in martial arts. Oh, what his father would say to that if he knew.

Chat came to the front again, grinning brightly as he mimicked Carapace's stance, bringing his hands up in a position to fight.

"And now, I will attack you and you try to stay standing, alright?"

The boy gulped and nodded, softly clenching and unclenching his fists nervously. He knew what Chat was able to do. He had seen him fighting before.

"A-Alright.", he stuttered, his eyes trained on his best friend's every move as the black clad superhero surged forward, hooking his leg around Carapace's and trying to push against his chest to get him to fall. Carapace pulled his leg away and turned, still facing Chat but quickly bringing both feet firmly to the ground not to leave a weak spot.

His sparring partner grinned, nodding as he went back in the starting position.

"Very good. But what if I tried something else?", Chat smirked and before Carapace could react, Chat had already grabbed his arm and thrown him over his shoulder. His partner laughed at the surprised expression that the boy couldn't hide as he found himself lying on the floor, having trouble breathing.

"Don't worry, Cara. You'll get used to reacting faster."

He stretched out his hand and Chat took it, pulling him up to his feet again.

"And again, let's go!", Chat enthusiastically exclaimed while Carapace merely groaned.


	12. Chapter 12

Guys, I did it.  
I wrote! I dunno what to tell you, phew. Let's just hope I'll keep it up.  
Also, I noticed a funny thing.  
Since I don't have wifi in the dorm where I'm living for school, I'm going to the next supermarket to get free wifi there.  
For every chapter, I walk a kilometer to the supermarket and pay 2,70 for a decency coffee.  
Meaning I'm paying to upload lmao  
Enjoy~

* * *

As it turned out, Hawkmoth had taken his sweet time before releasing a new Akuma. The team knew he didn't want to be caught anymore and thus changed his location every now and then to shake them off his tail but it had been weeks since the last Akuma had attacked.

Turned out he had gotten wind of the new superhero roaming the roofs, and had been collecting strength to send out a very strong Akuma.

Flamethrower was currently busy burning the Champs-Élysées down, as Marinette sat in the classroom not far from there, desperately trying to solve a calculus problem their teacher had given them. Adrien next to her was easily writing down the solution to a problem the teacher had given him since he had solved the required tasks long ago. Alya groaned and Nino had just put his head to the table, dead to the world while his classmates all at least tried figuring out how to solve these tasks.

Marinette furrowed her eyebrows at her friend, exchanging a glance with Alya before turning to her paper again.

Nino had seemed a lot more tired than just a few weeks ago. But according to his mother, he hadn't had a gig during that time, he had merely spent his time in his room, quietly listening to music. Had he been staying up?

With a short huff she shook her head and tried getting her thoughts back on the calculus problem, but an explosion ripped her head up and she stared at Adrien with wide eyes.

Her first thought, admittedly, was that Carapace turned out as a supervillain now. That didn't make sense, however, he hadn't been acting suspicious over the past weeks at all, plus Master Fu had personally entrusted Carapace with this duty. He was on their side.

Her second thought was an Akuma. She furrowed her eyebrows again, not noticing how Nino slowly became more and more panicked inside, his leg nervously bumping up and down.

"Marinette isn't feeling so well!", Adrien suddenly exclaimed, thinking quicker than her. With a jump he was on his feet, along with Alya, and stretched his hand out.

"I'll escort her outside for a bit. Maybe she needs some fresh air."

The teacher absentmindedly nodded, not even looking up from her book as Adrien and Marinette were already making their way out of the classroom, followed by Alya and, hesitantly, Nino.

Outside, they heard a second explosion, fear ghosting over all their faces as they ran to a secluded hallway. With a flash during running, Adrien and Marinette transformed simultaneously, their suits fitting perfectly on their bodies. He still had to bite his lip everytime he saw her ribs through.

"Are you sure you're up for fighting?", Chat Noir asked Ladybug softly, the cat ears on his blonde locks cautiously flattened to his head. Ladybug merely cupped his cheek and smiled gently, reassuringly, pressing a brief kiss to his lips.

"Of course.", then she turned to Alya and Nino, "Alya, you won't follow us."

The girl already pulled a face but Chat stepped in, his expression stern and his stance leaving no room for discussion.

"It's been a while since Hawkmoth sent an Akuma. This one is gonna be rough. We know you wanna meet Carapace but you can't get too close. Wait until the fight is over, stay on the sidelines with Nino, but don't run in."

The boy in question shortly pulled up his eyebrows, internally asking himself how he could lose Alya the easiest and still keep her out of the fight, but just a moment later, he felt an icy shiver running down his spine yet again.

He'd fight an Akuma. _Now_.

Before he knew it, Ladybug and Chat Noir were gone, jumped out of the school and towards the high, black columns of smoke that stood over the city like giants.

His lungs felt tight and his fingers sweaty and cold as he stared after his friends, his vision suddenly blurring and black dots jumping in front of his eyes. No, he couldn't faint now.

He had to focus, to get away from Alya and transform and the magic would give him confidence. He had to get into the suit, he had to feel the hardened chest plates, he had to have his shield and he had to-… Had to-… His chest got so tight and his throat so dry that he dropped against the wall nearby to him, sliding down on it until he was on his knees, his eyes fixed on the high smoke columns, his sweaty skin feeling too cold to the fire he'd have to feel in a bit.

Alya turned to him and was visibly surprised to see him in this state so suddenly, immediately going to her knees and cupping his face, trying to speak to him but he didn't hear her.

All her heard was the crackling of fire and the explosions. He never had any bad experience with fire, he'd never been in or seen a burning house and all he knew of fire was the controlled flames in fireplaces, on bonfires or candles. There was nothing that could explain his shocked, traumatic state other than him being scared to have to fight this.

Why couldn't he be more like Adrien or Marinette? They hadn't even thought twice before somersaulting right in. Sure, they had done this for years already but he was sure the undeveloped sense of danger with, what had they been, 14? It hadn't held them back.

As kids they didn't think about how dangerous it could be, and additionally to that Hawkmoth had sent off rather, well… Harmless Akumas. They had grown with their task, their duty.

Him?

Nino?

He had just been thrown in, he had just gotten his Miraculous, a few lessons with Master Fu and Chat Noir and that had been it. He hadn't had the advantage of being younger, of not overthinking.

Is heart hurt.

His chest hurt, the scar he had kept of Hawkmoth's sword, burned into his chest. His breaths were shallow and fast as he couldn't tear his eyes from the smoke.

"… -no… Nino?! … -all an ambulan-… Ni-… on't wake up in-… Nin-…?"

He slowly began hearing her again, as she lightly slapped his cheeks. His confused gaze found hers and he forced himself to breathe slower, his chest still heaving and his hands as shaky as his voice when he spoke.

"Wh-… What happened…?"

Alya sat back, relief written all over her expression as she took hold of his icy hands.

"You apparently had a panic attack… Are you okay? You're way too pale…", she worriedly looked at him, her eyes soft but something else was evident in her gaze.

"… You still wanna go see the fight, don't you?", he instead prompted, his girlfriend's expression immediately turning guilty as she squeezed his hands.

"I mean… I would. But you scared my just now. I'll bring you to the infirmary instead and call your mom. You need me more than Paris needs me right now."

He gulped. Normally, he would've been flattered. But he really, really needed to go transform and get the hell into that beef over there, otherwise Master Fu would inherit him and his friend would probably think he was a cowardly imposter.

Shit.

"Let's go see the fight. The Ladyblog is important to you and you're important to me. I'm already feeling better!"

"Your sweet words won't butter me up, mister.", was all she responded while already getting to her feet, pulling him up along with her. His knees were shaky and his system was still not entirely up and ready again but he was really feeling better.

"Means you'll set me down in daycare and call my mom to get me home?", he asked, his expression turning into a heartbreaking pout.

"I do not recall when you ever wanted me to see a fight.", Alya's face turned suspicious, "Are you hiding something?"

He hurriedly shook his head as he awkwardly scratched the nape of his neck, laughing.

"You got me, I'll get the porn magazines from beneath my bed."

"You have porn beneath your bed?!", she shot back and he merely gave her a deadpanning look, ignoring his burning cheeks.

"Excuse me, who still has their porn beneath the bed when everyone has it on their phone by now?"

Her smug grin was enough to make him blush harder, getting a little dizzy because of the sudden blood rush.

* * *

Five minutes and a lot of persuading (practically none) later, they were one their way to the fight, Nino constantly feeling guilty because he hadn't been able to transform and get away yet.

At least he'd hopefully lose her in the ocean of reporters that always stood at the sidelines, maybe he could even do that within the next five minutes not to be too late.

Even if he had calmed down by now, his throat was still tight and his chest still felt weird.

He gulped as he heard another explosion booming a few streets over, instinctively ducking his head and reaching out to hold onto Alya's shoulder. She threw him an amused glance over her shoulder, her phone of course ready to go.

"Are you scared?", at the same moment as she asked the question in usual banter, she already regretted it. He was still a little white around the nose, she noticed, and his hands were still shaking as he gripped her shoulder harder.

"Sorry. Are you okay?", she corrected herself, her gaze getting softer, "We can leave again."

"Or I leave and you promise me to stay safe?", he tried weakly, watching her already shaking her head.

"We're staying together. And you tried getting me here so what is actually up, Nino?"

He sighed, straightening his back and breathing through.

"No, sorry. You're right. I'm here because this is important for you and we're gonna stay safe the entire time. Sorry. Let's continue."

She narrowed her eyes and was about to say something else but at that moment, a blurred black silhouette was flung over the rooftops, coming to a halt a little down the street from them. Chat Noir got back up to his feet and brushed over his upper lip, groaning when he jumped towards the tumult again. Nino gulped. They needed him.

Without any more words Alya pulled him along again, right towards the group of reporters that stood in a side street which had a good view on the fight apparently.

She, however, ran further, next to the group and along the police blockage to the other house walls of the street. A second later, her phone was up and recording, her words flying as she reported the fight and what had already happened. Nino tried finding a way out but there was no way he could sneak from a live camera now. She also kept him on the screen a bit, maybe to monitor his condition a little bit. He had always admired her sense of multitasking.

"Hey! Heads up!", someone suddenly yelled, somewhere in the crowd of journalists. Nino flung around to spot the caller, but instead he saw a car flying down the street, right towards them. Without thinking, he grabbed Alya around her waist and ripped her to the side, falling onto the pavement of the street between all the reporters as he had pulled her away far enough before stumbling and losing his balance.

Alya slammed down onto the street as well but before she could even orientate herself, Nino was on his feet again, adrenaline surging through his veins.

He quickly got around the reporters to get out of Alya's view and ran down the street, seeing her getting to her knees and shaking her head as he threw a quick glance over his shoulder. She didn't spot him as he found a closed entrance into a house, just shielded enough for nobody to see him.

"Master Nino, are you alright?", Wayzz finally spoke up as he floated out of his jacket, his entire tiny body vibrating in anticipation.

"Yeah-…", Nino panted, propping himself up on his knees, "I just-… I just suddenly, I dunno… It just came over me. The adrenaline was just what I needed to snap out of that weird panic attack I had earlier."

The small Kwami placed a soft paw on his forehead, an immediate warmth of reassurance spreading in the boy.

"It's normal to fear this, Master. It's new and scary and nobody blames you for hesitating at first."

Nino sighed, straightening up again.

"Yeah, yeah… I know. I just shouldn't have run away from Alya that way, huh?", Nino sighed in embarrassment, "I just-… Suddenly had this feeling. That I was courageous enough."

"For this, there will be time after the fight. But now you need to help your friends. Are you ready?"

Their eyes locked and Nino grinned.

He was still scared, he was still uncertain. The scar burned on his skin and his mind was still circling around that feeling, around the memories of Hawkmoth's sword-…

His body shook in shivers but his motivation was unbroken.

His friends needed him and this would be the first time that Paris would officially get to know Carapace, that Alya would officially get to know him. It was the first moment for him to prove his worth, to prove he hadn't gotten the Miraculous of protection for nothing.

That he was chosen to help, to fight by his friends' side and make everything okay again, every moment that he couldn't be there for Marinette because he had been too scared, too cowardly to step in.

This was the moment.

This was his chance and he wouldn't pass it up because he was scared. No matter what was waiting for him outside would learn to fear him and his shield.

" _Wayzz, shields up!_ "

Needless to say that as soon as he jumped upwards and got his feet on the roof, getting a good view over the fight, the akumatized villain and all the fire around, he immediately planned a nice long session on the toilet as soon as this was over.

He'd need it.


	13. Chapter 13

_The new boy tries his best TM_

 **Yo suckers**

 **I'm back out of the blue with a chapter because canon material is pissing me off and I got inspired I guess lol**  
 **Also it's been a year hahah**  
 **Anyway**  
 **I doubt anyone is still reading this story but whateverrrrr Imma just post wheneverrrr**  
 **Also it's like 2am here don't judge me and I haven't written in actual freaking months so**  
 **Oh well**  
 **Let's pretend I can still write, someone is still reading this, and we're in the happy times of 2016 before the US elections and ML season 2**  
 **weeeeeeeeeeee**

* * *

As Carapace closed in on the fight he gulped heavily, his heart beating hard and strong against his ribcage. He was alive, he was fighting and he was well armored. He should be fine.

Right?

Suddenly he felt Alya's fingers on his chest again, her gentle caress on the tiny scar that stayed from Hawkmoth's sword. A wave of confidence and fear washed over him, a powerful mixture when running in battle, he realized.

Suddenly, in front of him him he felt the warmth of the fire that Flamethrower spread across the street, and just a second later he was greeted by the flickering hell in white, yellow, orange and red that expected him. He sucked in a sharp breath and jumped before his courage would leave him, spreading his arms to keep his balance in the air while he fell.

If he had stopped at the edge of the rooftop, he knew he wouldn't have jumped in.

He came down behind the Akuma, silently and with a clenched jaw as he eyed their back. Ladybug spotted him quickly, nodding at him just enough for him to see, then he made eye contact with Chat Noir. His teammate gestured for him to stay on the side, he would probably lure the Akuma towards him.

Immediately, the fear was back. Carapace felt his throat blocking up but with a forced breath, he was back in the game. A stinging feeling spread through his lungs but he couldn't let that stop him now.

The Akuma would stumble right into him, okay. He'd have to get ready for acting now.

With a precise hit, Chat forced the Akuma's flamethrower up, so they'd lose aim and stumble back, then he shot the newest team member a look and Carapace knew that was gonna be his sign.

Holding his breath, he jumped and grabbed the flamethrower, kicking into the Akuma's back.

With the surprise as an advantage, the Akuma lost their footing for a second, but the villain quickly caught himself, then they turned to Carapace, successfully twisting their weapon out of his hold and snarling with a grin as the violet outline of a butterfly mask appeared on their face.

"Ooooh…", they smugly drawled as they closed in on Carapace, making him gulp and walk backwards, "Well, who do we have here? You're new, apparently. Hawkmoth heard about a new team member, but I gotta say-"

With a broad grin, they listened while Hawkmoth talked.

"Yes, Hawkmoth didn't expect a slightly overweight teenager. What, you think you can fight against me, coward?"

Carapace protectively hugged his sides, pouting, not knowing where the hell he suddenly took the ability to bite back at that.

"Hey! I'm not overweight, that's just a little chub."

A huge relief washed over him as he heard Chat laugh shortly before Ladybug cast her Lucky Charm, then his friend pounced on the Akuma and forced them down on the floor.

"Don't let them talk shit about you, Cara!"

That really tickled out a smile as Carapace moved again, taking a run up and joining Chat since the Akuma jumped up again, imitating the heroes fighting style of trying to land a few fast hits.

Well, he really tried.

Since he didn't have any experience in close combat, he more or less just relied on his superhero reflexes to not get hit in return, then he finally remembered he had a shield.

As soon as he felt the familiar weight of the heavy shield on his arm, he felt way more natural with his role, fighting suddenly appearing a little easier to him as he started using the shield as an extension of his arm.

"Thanks, Chat! I'll just ignore they don't have a model body like yours, either.", that made his friend pause for just a moment, and Carapace realized he maybe shouldn't have compared his physique to his actual job, but it was already too late then, "Well I mean, look at yourself. I really do look like a teenager next to you!"

Chat seemed a little more at ease now, since Carapace had smartly insinuated that he couldn't be a teenager anymore, but the Akuma still got a small opening in combat to punch him so hard, Chat tumbled down the road, giving them a chance to make another move on Ladybug.

Faster than Carapace could react, they stormed at Ladybug and began using their flamethrower again since they had the chance again, and interrupted her thinking up a plan to defeat them.

Immediately, she was forced to fight them, Chat was still trying to get up, and Carapace once again felt his palms getting cold and sweaty.

No, no, not again. Not right now.

One panic attack today was enough.

Shit, what to do, what to do…

At that moment, Wayzz nudged him, making him take another step.

"Wa-wait, I-… I don't even know what to do right now!"

His Kwami didn't seem to care as he nudged him again, a feeling telling him he should be running already, fighting alongside Ladybug, or at least helping up Chat Noir.

Something told him he should be out and about, but for some reason, his legs felt like concrete and his heart was beating way too fast.

Until he heard Ladybug calling out to him.

"Carapace, get a move on!", she shouted at him, busy with holding off the Akuma, "Go help Chat!"

With a start, Carapace snapped out of it and finally sprinted down the road, past the fight, and helped up his friend who needed another moment to get back to himself.

"Need to get to the sidelines for a bit, Chat?"

The blonde in his arms groaned, his knees shaking and his claws digging into Carapace's suit while he tried to desperately stay upright.

"N-No, I-…", the more experienced hero tried but Carapace fell right into his words.

"I take that as a yes. Come on, man, I'll get you somewhere safe."

He hooked Chat's arm around his shoulders and jumped away, a few streets down, where he ran into Alya, much to his surprise.

"Hey, you! Civilians shouldn't be that close to the fight!", he called out, not realizing that she didn't exactly know him yet. Her widened eyes, and then her smile, made him gulp immediately as he remembered.

"You're the new one! Good to meet you, actually, I-"

With a firm shake of his head, Carapace lowered the still dazed Chat to the ground and cut off her words.

"Look after him for a moment, he hit his head. He'll be fine in a bit again."

Alya was about to say something else, but as quickly as she kneeled down by Chat, Carapace was already off again, now finally feeling more confident in fighting the Akuma.

Having seen Alya, and most of all, having no choice but to help now since Chat was gonna be out of commission for a little, made him forget overthinking and rely on his instincts.

Upon arriving at the battlefield, where he noted a few more burned houses, he saw Ladybug visibly deflating in relief because she saw him returning without Chat.

"That stupid cat always gets himself distracted easily.", she shouted over to him and Carapace laughed, shrugging and joining her side.

"I gotta admit, it was kinda my fault.", he confessed but she didn't scold him more than sending him a short glare.

"Well then you keep your head in the fight, at least. I'm not in the mood to fight alone."

Just as she said that, she kicked the Akuma and sent them flying back a few feet, enabling them to pull out their flamethrower again.

"Shi-"

"I WILL DESTROY YOU NOW, LADYBUG!", the Akuma laughed maniacally as Ladybug lifted her arms to protect herself, but the heat never reached her. In confusion, she opened her eyes again and saw Carapace standing in front of her, holding up his shield to protect them.

"… I think now would be a good time to think up a plan?", he prodded, nodding at the Lucky Charm, a small hard soap, that she held in her hand.

"Well, I roughly know what to do, but I don't know if we can pull it off without Chat!"

Carapace groaned and pushed against the flames before the Akuma stopped firing and allowed him to front flip towards them, to land one of two hits with his shield.

"… So we have to hold them off for a bit longer?"

Ladybug shrugged, running to the side to attack the Akuma with her yo-yo from a wider range, allowing her to do harder hits with her weapon.

"Seems so! I need Chat's cataclysm!"

As the fight continued on, Carapace slowly began to get the hang of fighting with a shield and having a rhythm with Ladybug, seeing opportunities where to cut in and get a hit and where to protect her instead. Shortly into the fight, Chat joined them again as well, still a little dizzy but overall seeming okay again.

"Are you okay, kitty?", Ladybug still asked, wanting to get reassurance that he was feeling up for fighting, yet Carapace already knew Alya would never let Adrien go up against an Akuma again if he wasn't at least standing on his own two feet.

"I'm fine, my lady, just a little shaken up. Now, where were we?"

Carapace chuckled as he watched Ladybug restraining herself from giving her boyfriend a short clap on the back of his head for suggesting a conversation during fighting again, not to worsen his situation, then he noticed something else.

A flash of orange and brown snuck past the edge of his vision, way too close to the fight to be save, and as he turned, he definitely recognized Alya cowering behind some garbage bins, holding out her phone to record but not caring about any safety distance.

Rolling his eyes, he turned back to his teammates, but they were too caught up in the fight to give him any attention and apparently, they hadn't noticed Alya yet.

With a sigh he turned, already wanting to evacuate her, as he felt a wave of heat hit his back, then he saw the flames lashing out on his side, closing in to him quickly.

It was hot, yes, but what worried him more was Alya being in the line of fire, suddenly. Especially, as the Akuma closed in on him.

Thinking quickly, he leapt forward, pulling up his shield to do a roll, then he turned and landed inn front of Alya in a three pointer, yelling before Ladybug and Chat even realized what was happening.

 _"Shellter!"_

Immediately, a green force field built up around them and engulfed them completely, forming a sphere of protection around him and Alya. The flames hit the shield and licked up the walls of his superpower, but they couldn't reach them anymore.

Slowly, he inched back to Alya and shot a glance over his shoulder, seeing her lowering her phone, hopefully to stop recording. With wide eyes, she watched the flames raging around them, then her gaze slowly found his as he turned to her a little more now, curiosity flaring up in her brown eyes.

"Who-… Are you?", she asked, and he knew she didn't mean his secret identity. She was too smart to be asking about that, especially with what happened to Adrien and Marinette half a year ago.

"… I got a Miraculous recently.", he responded, trying to stay vague.

"I know Chat Noir and Ladybug personally.", she clarified and he was once again reminded that she had no idea who he was. On the other hand, she just reassured him that she had definitely stopped recording, "… And Master Fu. Why did he give you the Miraculous now?"

Steeling his eyes up front again he furrowed his eyebrows, giving her a stiff shrug before readying himself to pounce into the fight again, since the Akuma stopped attacking the shield.

"We don't know.", he gave the short answer, then standing up, "When I tell you, you will run down the street as fast as you can. I don't want you hesitating or looking back, and in no way recording. Is that clear?"

She huffed at that, not liking being ordered around, but she did at least recognize the seriousness of the situation so she stood up as well, waiting for an opening where the Akuma would lose interest or be pushed away by Ladybug and Chat Noir.

Just a few seconds later, that opening was granted. Chat distracted the Akuma while Ladybug finally figured out her plan, then Carapace dropped the shield and urged Alya to run before charging at the Akuma again.

His girlfriend at least decided to listen this time, and really ran down the streets and to a safer place, but as soon as Carapace leant back to prepare for a hit with his shield, the Akuma whirled around and planted a big fat blow to the jaw on him.

For a moment, everything became black and he felt his body being tossed against a house wall. Chat screamed something that sounded an awful lot like Cataclysm, then Carapace heard an explosion and felt his ears ringing, before he was somehow scooped up and brought away, while Ladybug purified the Akuma and used her cleansing light to repair all the burns and damage.

The one carrying him, most likely Chat, mumbled something about the Miraculous cure not being able to cure superheroes, but at least he would be cared for.

The head of the green clad boy rolled around, against Chat's chest and his arm, in a desperate attempt to stay conscious, then he finally fell into a deep slumber.

* * *

When Nino woke up again, he immediately felt every single bone of his body ache.

Was this normal?

If this was normal, he'd seriously like to quit. If he'd have to go through this every single time an Akuma was attacking he would not be up for this job.

Ouch.

With a groan he opened his eyes, his eyelids fluttering to adjust to the light, then he groaned again and tried blinking through it. Finally, he could look around, realizing he wasn't transformed anymore, and recognized Master Fu's shop, the relief washing over him like a wave.

The old Master had his back turned to him, working on something that made Nino immediately relax again since it smelled so good. As he knew his Master, he was probably brewing tea at the moment.

"I was wondering when you would wake up, young Nino.", the man finally raised his voice, his soft words only slowly getting through his humming headache, then Master Fu turned to him and smiled.

Nino had never seen such an interesting mixture of smugness, sympathy and humor in a grin, and honestly, he hadn't thought it to be possible, but as Master Fu looked down at him with a cup of tea in his hand, Wayzz sitting on his shoulder, he saw exactly that in the expression of the old man.

"Chat told me you got quite the hit. I can see that. He brought you here unconscious, and that is not something that happens often with the suit. But do not worry, he left before you detransformed. And we'll set your jaw right again.", the humored twinkle in the old man's eyes was everything to Nino.

But also, when he mentioned it, Nino realized he couldn't talk.

His jaw was probably broken, Master Fu then continued on, and started rambling about what to do about that and that it would only take a few hours with the ancient techniques of magic. But still, Nino would have to wait that one out.

Oh well.

He could imagine worse than having a tea with an old man and sleeping for a few hours.

Especially after such an experience.

* * *

 **ANOTHER YEAR ANOTHER CHAP**


	14. Chapter 14

_Post fight care_

 **Whaddup suckers!**  
 **Back with a new chap!**  
 **Some self indulgent DJWifi, I hope that's okay with you xD But I really need to get back into writing and these two dorks are actually helping me massively, so, bear with me here xD**  
 **Anyway!**  
 **I'm updating, surprisingly so! That was a damn fast year, happy Halloween 2020 and shiz lololol**  
 **Enjoy!**

* * *

 _"_ _Oh my god, Nino, I was worried sick! Where did you go during the fight?!"_ , he squinted his eyes at Alya's reaction while Master Fu was busy removing the bandage around the hand that didn't hold his phone.

"… I, uh-… I ran away, Alya. I was scared."

 _"_ _You could've just told me that, I would've turned around with you!"_ , she yelled now, making Master Fu smirk silently. The deadpan Nino sent through the silent line was enough to make Alya visibly roll her eyes, _"… Okay, maybe I wouldn't have turned around with you. But I at least would've liked to know before you bolted."_

He just sighed, nodding gratefully at Master Fu who now started rolling up the bandage, revealing healed skin.

"I'm sorry, Alya.", he mumbled, "I didn't mean to leave you behind like this. The car came flying and I just-… Wanted to get away."

His own lie made him cringe as it was now his girlfriend's turn to sigh. He wished he could tell her why he ran away, and he really didn't want to take the role of a scaredy-cat now, that he had a secret identity to keep. A second life in which he was needed to be courageous. He already saw it coming how the acting would fuck with his head.

But she didn't seem to catch on, much to his relief. Master Fu had told him about the magic keeping the veil over their secret identity, so nobody could actually tell. Actually, Alya went quiet for a while, giving him the chance to warm up a little by drinking a bit of his tea, while waiting for her to speak up again.

 _"…_ _Was it because of that panic attack?"_ , she asked slowly, and immediately made him feel guilty again for leaving her behind like this.

But he had a secret to keep from her now. He had a responsibility now, a second life, and he had to keep it from her at all costs. Not to endanger her or his family. Or his friends' lives again. Especially Adrien's life. Hawkmoth couldn't know another one in the class of his son was a superhero. The connection was too obvious.

 _"…_ _Nino?"_ , she tried again and he snapped out of it.

"Y-Yeah. Because of the panic attack."

Again, silence filled their call and he shared a glance with Master Fu, feeling entirely uncomfortable in his skin. He had to make her believe it had been because of the panic attack, otherwise she wouldn't get off his tail. Nothing against Alya, but even regarding her loved ones, her reporter curiosity sometimes got the best of her.

 _"_ _Are you home?"_ , she asked now and he squirmed under the raw worry in her voice, feeling that she was ready to put on her jacket and go to him.

"Uhm. Yeah. I'm home. Wanna meet?", Master Fu looked up to him and squinted his eyes, making Nino helplessly shrug.

 _"_ _I'll be right there!"_ , she sounded relieved, so relieved he wanted to cry.

"O-Okay, see you in 15.", his reply already got swallowed in the final beeping sound, signaling him she had hung up, probably to hurry over to him. With hunched over shoulders he finally met Master Fu's gaze and gulped, seeing the old man huffing at his rash response.

"You'll need to hurry, young Nino."

The boy sighed in exasperation and nodded, trying to get up but finding himself unable to at first. It needed a helping hand from his master and a bit of work to get to his feet, making him groan.

"I'm sorry, Master Fu… But she would've been suspicious if I hadn't been home."

The old man just nodded at that, completely understanding, but Nino could tell he was not exactly happy about letting his student go that quickly after his first Akuma attack, especially when being in a hurry.

"Yes, I understand. She is worried, she wants to make sure you are fine. But what are you going to tell her about this?", he gestured to Nino's blue jaw, making the boy flinch.

"W-Well… I fell over some street barriers? Or some stairs while looking back?"

He thought he could see a slight smirk on the old man's face before he turned his back to him, to put back the bandage from where he had taken it.

"I see, your lies are about as much believable as Ladybug's."

Nino rolled his eyes to that but nodded, humming.

"Yeah, yeah, just laugh about me. _Wayzz, Shields up!_ ", with a flash of green he transformed and groaned at the shield resting on one of his many bruises. The master just sent him a smirk, before pushing a tiny tube into his hand.

"This one will help with the bruising. And tell Chat Noir that you will need to learn how to cushion a fall and absorb a hit. Alright?"

Carapace nodded, waving at Master Fu with the small tube, then he jumped out of the back window, quickly getting onto the roofs and running back home. On his way he passed Alya, who thankfully didn't look up and was a good ten minutes away from his home still, so he went ahead, transformed back in a hidden doorway, only to "arrive home" for his parents.

Luckily, they didn't question why he was already back home, since they had heard of the Akuma attack earlier today, and he managed to get to his room relatively quickly, so his mom wouldn't see his jaw. With a relieved sigh, he closed the door behind him, then he gave Wayzz a small bowl of sunflower seeds which he hid behind some books in his cupboard, as the doorbell already sounded through the apartment. Alya was here.

With a grimace he sat down on his desk chair, pretending to be on the computer, and to be out of direct view from his door, then he waited for his mother to call him and let him reply to just send Alya to his room.

Luckily, just a few seconds later, Alya entered the room without his mother, mindfully closing the door behind her, only then Nino dared to turn around and immediately shush her before she would react loudly.

Alya, being the quick thinker, only lifted her hands to her mouth, then she crossed the room and gingerly took his face between her hands, cupping his jaw so softly he almost didn't feel it.

"Oh gosh Nino…", she exhaled, and he already saw her eyes getting a little wet at his condition.

"D-Don't worry.", he tried with an apologetic smile, "It's just a bruise. In two days, it'll be gone. Just, uh, mom doesn't know about this and I'd like to keep it that way."

Alya scrunched her eyebrows together but decided to say nothing as of now, just inspecting his jaw and swallowing back her tears, then she squinted her eyes at him.

"… What happened?", her voice was dangerous.

"U-Uh, I tripped. When I ran away. It's okay though, really.", he tried, not really keeping his voice stable enough for his taste, but for her it seemed to be enough. He gulped inconspicuously as she turned away, running her hands through her hair.

"God, Nino, what am I supposed to do with you?", she groaned so he not really quickly got up and pouted at her when he grabbed her hips, turning her back to him to catch her eyes.

"Well… Ladybug and Chat Noir can't exactly keep me from tripping… And, I mean, shouldn't you be happy you don't have to worry about a plus one in a fight?"

His attempt at a smile was quickly overshadowed by her devastating deadpan, so he already shrunk together at the scolding he'd get from her, but instead she just deflated, resting her shaking head against his chest and lifting her hands beside it, brushing over his shirt.

"… Just look out where you're going…", she pleaded, and he earned her rolling her eyes when he made a joke.  
"You really wanted to blame me for falling over a couple of stairs just now?"

She gruffly pushed against him but made sure to keep close, still leaning her head against his chest.

"Don't test it, Lahiffe. Just don't test it."

He laughed and kissed her head as she mumbled the same question as before, wondering what she should do with him, then he nudged her forehead.

"You could kiss me?", he suggested as she leant back to look up to him, already grinning painfully at the little smirk on her lips. She gave up on pretending to still be angry, he felt it, and gave him a tiny peck on the cheek, being well aware of his bruise not to pain him any more than necessary.

"That'll have to do for now. Let's get on the bed."

He suggestively waggled his eyebrows which just earned him a look, then he lied down and offered to cuddle with her, which she accepted in relief.

Softly, Alya's weight pushed down the mattress beside his hips, then he felt her lying down on her side, resting her head on his shoulder and pulling her legs up, nudging him to rest his legs over hers.

"… That feels way better…", he admitted, glad to be off his feet for today, and to be in a position that hurt considerably less than the hard mat on Master Fu's floor.

"And now, the therapy session is a go.", his girlfriend mumbled in his arms, closing her eyes while she yawned.

"Hm, you didn't sleep as much. Say, what is keeping you up at night?"

He chuckled at the light pat on his chest that she gave him instead of another push, appreciating her being so soft right now.

"No, I mean, your therapy session. What was that about before the fight? That panic attack you had?"

He huffed and looked up to his ceiling, his eyes wandering over the remains of small plastic stars that he had stuck on the walls and ceiling as a little kid, which could glow in the dark.

"Eh… You know… Old memories.", he replied vaguely and immediately felt her hand sliding up his chest to the point where Hawkmoth had stabbed him. It annoyed him to push that scar, that memory, back up in their heads and to repeatedly direct the talk to this topic, but he couldn't help it. It was the perfect cover up for his secret identity and he needed her to believe he was becoming genuinely scared of Akumas now, to absolutely rule out any possibility of him being Carapace.

It was the easiest way, and he had the opportunity of pretending this trauma was the reason for him to stay away from fights.

Well, it wasn't exactly untrue, he knew that. The panic attack had been real, and it had been based on that event, that much was true. Well, and the responsibility of having to fight his very first Akuma as a real team member and of course the crushing fear he'd felt of now having to be an actual part of the fight. It had been easy, watching and standing by the sidelines, cheering for his childhood heroes back then. And it had still been easy when they had grown up, coming to the mindset of carelessness, where he had the attitude of "Ladybug and Chat Noir will handle it anyway, what's there to care about".

It had of course changed when the Miraculous cure had gone missing along with Ladybug, when every damage had started to stay, and when he was suddenly forced to be in a lot more fights than he had felt comfortable with.

The Desertifier incident was a perfect example of that. He had finally felt, for the first time, how stressful it was to be in the middle of a fight, and he had finally understood how bad it had been for Ladybug and Chat Noir these past years, how hard these months alone had been on Chat, actually.

But he had still not been a prime target on the Akuma's radar.

He had still been a harmless civilian, a wannabe hero, and most importantly, not a threat.

Now, with his suit, his shield and his new powers, he posed a threat in the Akumas' eyes and he knew, now he was gonna be a target, worth the attention of a fighter, not a bystander.

Of course, this was scary.

Not that he could actually tell Alya that, of course. He'd have to explore the trauma idea more.

"… Does it still hurt sometimes…?", she suddenly asked, her speech mumbled because her mouth was pressed against his shirt, her face squished against his chest. It was not at all what he had expected, hence he spluttered for an answer before trying to calm his beating heart at the sudden intimacy with which Alya talked to him about this.

She was normally not one to beat around the bush, he had gotten to know her as a very straight-forward girl and he knew she didn't have a stick up her ass. Insults, slurs, lewd topics, even black or coarse humor wasn't a problem for her. She wasn't going to mince matters.

But being open about problems?

Actually, talking about stuff that weighed down on her, or telling people honestly that she didn't feel good about a thing that happened, that was not her style. It was connected to a lot of effort for her to voice something like that so he naturally was a bit taken aback at her asking him that so openly. Especially since he sensed where the talk would go.

"… I-I mean-… Yeah, sometimes…? Like, when I think back at it, or have a nightmare about it… Or when I'm reminded of something similar… Then it kinda hurts. What about you?"

He gingerly touched her arm resting on his chest, over the multiple little cuts that still visibly stood against her brown skin with a faint, unnatural silver, as if they had just a few weeks ago. They both knew, even if they had healed off completely, that she would forever wear them as a reminder of the Cataclysm bursting through her skin, and he knew they still sometimes flared up, making her flinch, when she was too close to Chat's magic.

Alya merely nuzzled close as a response to his question, humming in discomfort, making him cuddle her closer and almost pull his hand away from hers, just when he felt her holding onto his fingers.

"… Sometimes…", she hesitantly spoke up, keeping her face hidden from him, not having to make eye contact. He knew she didn't like that during the few real talks they had, "… I don't wanna admit it… But maybe Plagg's right about them being magical… Maybe I should see him about that again…"

Nino nodded and closed his eyes, to make her feel more at ease with him not pressuring her to look at him.

"… Maybe… Though, he did have the theory that Chat's Cataclysm in that Observatory pulled out all the remaining magic. Since, it only adds up to destruction, doesn't stop it."

Alya huffed and nodded, then she pulled her hand out of his to wrap her arm around him, resting it over his stomach and holding him close.

"… Yeah, maybe… Oh well. Plagg said if I keep away from magic, I'll be fine either way, so, even if there's something left inside my body, I'll be fine."

With a heavy sigh he nodded at that, then he made eye contact with Wayzz in his bookshelf, pressing his lips together.

"… S-Sure… If you keep away from magic…"

He could only hope Plagg meant the black cat's destructive magic. But he'd have to ask Master Fu about that.


End file.
